Northern Fulmar vs Grey Petrel
Fulmarus glacialis compared with Procellaria cinerea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Fulmar | Grey Petrel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fulmarus glacialis | Procellaria cinerea |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) | 65.2 cm (25.7 in) |
| Weight | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) | 1140.0 g (40.21 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
Habitat Comparison
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Grey Petrel
Geographic Range & Migration
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Grey Petrel
Conservation Status
Northern Fulmar
Grey Petrel
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
Grey Petrel
About These Birds
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.
Grey Petrel
48 cm, wingspan 119–130 cm. Grey petrel with pale yellowish bill; white underparts. Breeds Tristan da Cunha, Gough, Auckland, Antipodes, Crozet, and Kerguelen. Unique among petrels in breeding in winter; feeds on fish and squid. Near Threatened; bycatch in longline fisheries.