Southern Fulmar vs Northern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialoides compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Southern Fulmar | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fulmarus glacialoides | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 897.5 g (31.66 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Southern Fulmar
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
Southern Fulmar
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Southern Fulmar
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Southern Fulmar
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
About These Birds
Southern Fulmar
45–50 cm, wingspan 115–120 cm. Pale grey above, white below with dark wingtips; pink bill with blue tube-nose. Breeds Antarctic cliffs; ranges across Southern Ocean to about 35°S after breeding. Feeds on fish, squid, and krill by surface-seizing. Highly colonial; migratory.
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.