Northern Fulmar vs Shoebill
Fulmarus glacialis comparé à Balaeniceps rex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Northern Fulmar | Shoebill |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Fulmarus glacialis | Balaeniceps rex |
| Ordre | Procellariiformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Famille | Procellariidae | Balaenicipitidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Longueur | 47,0 cm (18.5 in) | 120,0 cm (47.2 in) |
| Envergure | 107,0 cm (42.1 in) | 240,0 cm (94.5 in) |
| Poids | 750,0 g (26.46 oz) | 5500,0 g (194.01 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. | Primarily lungfish, also catfish, water snakes, monitor lizards, and baby crocodiles. Hunts by standing motionless, … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1 | 1-3 |
| 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.
Shoebill
Freshwater swamps dominated by papyrus and other dense aquatic vegetation in tropical East Africa.
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.
Shoebill
Largely silent; produces mechanical bill-clattering 'clap-clap-clap' when greeting at the nest — similar to White Stork. Also gives low croaking grunts. Rarely calls in the wild.
Geographic Range & Migration
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Shoebill
Central and East Africa from South Sudan and Ethiopia south to Zambia. Largest populations in South Sudan and Uganda.
Statut de conservation
Northern Fulmar
Shoebill
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Fulmar
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.
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
Shoebill
Blue-grey plumage overall with a slightly darker back and wings. Powder down gives a washed-out appearance. Small tuft on the back of the head.
Massive shoe-shaped bill, one of the largest of any bird — pale yellowish-grey with darker markings
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.
Shoebill
The shoebill is one of the most sought-after birds for birdwatchers visiting Africa, prized for its prehistoric appearance and massive bill. It can stand motionless for hours before collapsing forward to seize prey in its enormous bill. Despite standing over a meter tall, shoebills weigh relatively little due to their hollow bones.