Emu vs Northern Fulmar
Dromaius novaehollandiae compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Emu | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dromaius novaehollandiae | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Casuariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Dromaiidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 20.0 cm (7.9 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 45000.0 g (1587.33 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Plants, seeds, fruits, flowers, and insects. Swallows large stones and charcoal to grind food in … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 5-24 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Emu
Open grasslands, savanna woodlands, scrublands, and semi-arid plains across Australia. Avoids dense forest and true desert.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
Emu
Deep, resonant booming grunt 'e-moo', often repeated 3 times. Females give a deep drumming call produced by an inflatable throat pouch. Generally low-pitched and far-carrying.
Northern Fulmar
A nasal, cackling 'kak-kak-kak-kak' or grunting 'uh-uh-uh' at the nest and colony. Less melodic than petrels. In flight gives occasional single nasal calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Emu
Throughout mainland Australia. Absent from Tasmania, where the Tasmanian emu was driven to extinction by 1850.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Emu
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Emu
Shaggy grey-brown plumage with double-shafted feathers giving a loose, hair-like appearance. Bare blue skin on the face and neck.
Broad, flat, dark grey bill
Northern Fulmar
Light morph: white head and underparts with grey wings and back. Dark morph: entirely grey. Tube-nosed bill and stiff-winged flight distinctive at sea.
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
About These Birds
Emu
The emu is the second-tallest living bird and the largest bird native to Australia. It is the only bird with calf muscles, enabling powerful running at up to 50 km/h. In the famous Emu War of 1932, the Australian military was deployed against crop-raiding emus — and the emus arguably won.
Northern Fulmar
The northern fulmar is a long-lived seabird that can survive over 40 years. It defends its nest by projectile-vomiting a foul-smelling stomach oil at intruders, which can mat the feathers of predators and cause fatal loss of waterproofing. Fulmars have expanded their breeding range dramatically southward over the past two centuries.