European Goldfinch vs Northern Fulmar
Carduelis carduelis compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Goldfinch | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Carduelis carduelis | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Passeriformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Fringillidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 13.0 cm (5.1 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 16.0 g (0.56 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, especially thistle (Carduus) and teasel seeds, extracted with its precise tweezer-like bill. Also takes … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
European Goldfinch only
Northern Fulmar only
None
European Goldfinch
Open woodland, orchards, gardens, parks, and weedy fields with seed-bearing plants. Common at garden bird feeders.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
European Goldfinch
A liquid, tinkling 'swit-swit-swit' in flight and a melodic twittering song. Flocks produce a bright jingling chorus. Male song is a sweet repetitive warble incorporating the flight call.
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
European Goldfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
European Goldfinch
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
European Goldfinch
Crimson red face with white cheeks and a black crown. Sandy-brown back with a bright yellow wing bar visible in flight. Black and white tail.
Slender, pointed, ivory-pink bill adapted for extracting seeds from thistles
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
European Goldfinch
The European goldfinch is a strikingly beautiful finch whose tinkling song and colorful plumage have made it popular in art and as a caged bird for centuries. It appears frequently in Renaissance paintings as a symbol of the Passion of Christ. Flocks of goldfinches are charmingly called a charm.
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.