European Roller vs Northern Fulmar

Coracias garrulus comparé à Fulmarus glacialis

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut European Roller Northern Fulmar
Nom scientifique Coracias garrulus Fulmarus glacialis
Ordre Coraciiformes Procellariiformes
Famille Coraciidae Procellariidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur 31,0 cm (12.2 in) 47,0 cm (18.5 in)
Envergure 66,0 cm (26.0 in) 107,0 cm (42.1 in)
Poids 130,0 g (4.59 oz) 750,0 g (26.46 oz)
Régime alimentaire Large insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small reptiles, frogs, and scorpions. Hunts … Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving.
Taille de la couvée 3-6 1
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
European Roller 31,0 cm
Northern Fulmar 47,0 cm
Envergure
European Roller 66,0 cm
Northern Fulmar 107,0 cm
Poids
European Roller 130,0 g
Northern Fulmar 750,0 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Aucun(e)

European Roller only

Northern Fulmar only

Aucun(e)

European Roller

Warm, dry, open country with scattered trees and nest holes. Breeds in tree cavities, earth banks, and nest boxes.

Northern Fulmar

Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

European Roller

Chant

A harsh, grating 'rack-rack' or 'quarrk' in flight. Gives a variety of sharp nasal calls at the nest. Not melodic; primary vocalizations are alarm and contact calls.

Northern Fulmar

Chant

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

European Roller

Southern and eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Northern Fulmar

North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

European Roller

Least Concern

Northern Fulmar

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

European Roller

Plumage

Turquoise-blue head, breast, and tail. Chestnut-brown back. Vivid ultramarine blue and black wing patches visible in flight.

Bec

Short, stout, dark hooked bill

Northern Fulmar

Plumage

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.

Bec

Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

European Roller

The European roller gets its name from the spectacular rolling and tumbling aerial displays performed by males during courtship. It is the only roller species in Europe and one of the continent's most colorful birds. Declining across much of its western range due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss.

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family