Northern Fulmar vs Red-crowned Crane
Fulmarus glacialis compared with Grus japonensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Fulmar | Red-crowned Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fulmarus glacialis | Grus japonensis |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Gruidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) | 150.0 cm (59.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) | 250.0 cm (98.4 in) |
| Weight | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) | 8900.0 g (313.94 oz) |
| Diet | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. | Omnivorous — fish, amphibians, insects, grasses, and waste grain. Forages in wetlands and agricultural fields. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2 |
| 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.
Red-crowned Crane
Freshwater marshes, bogs, and wet grasslands for breeding. Winters in coastal mudflats, estuaries, and rice paddies.
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.
Red-crowned Crane
Spectacular unison 'bugling' call: a clear, resonant, far-carrying trumpet 'kru-ru-ru' given by paired birds simultaneously. Among the most majestic bird calls in Asia.
Geographic Range & Migration
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Red-crowned Crane
Eastern Asia — breeds in northeastern China, southeastern Russia, and Hokkaido, Japan. Winters in Korea and eastern China.
Conservation Status
Northern Fulmar
Red-crowned Crane
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
Red-crowned Crane
White body plumage with black secondary flight feathers and throat. Bare red crown patch. Black face and neck. One of the most elegant crane species.
Long, straight, olive-green bill
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.
Red-crowned Crane
The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest crane species and a potent symbol of longevity and fidelity in East Asian culture. Their elaborate unison call and dancing displays have inspired art and folklore for millennia. The resident population on Hokkaido, Japan, recovered from about 33 birds in 1952 to over 1,800 today.