Northern Fulmar vs Collared Petrel
Fulmarus glacialis compared with Pterodroma brevipes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Fulmar | Collared Petrel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fulmarus glacialis | Pterodroma brevipes |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) | 42.4 cm (16.7 in) |
| Weight | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) | 137.0 g (4.83 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.
Collared Petrel
Geographic Range & Migration
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Collared Petrel
Conservation Status
Northern Fulmar
Collared Petrel
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
Collared 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.
Collared Petrel
30 cm. Polymorphic; pale morph has grey collar band contrasting with white breast; dark morph sooty grey. Breeds Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa. Vulnerable; threatened by introduced predators. Ranges in tropical South Pacific; feeds on squid and fish.