Fulmar
The (Northern) Fulmar is a highly abundant seabird found primarily in subarctic regions of the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans. Though similar in appearance to gulls, the 2 species of fulmars (Northern and Southern) are in fact members of a different seabird family which include petrels and shearwaters.
The Fulmar’s latin name, Fulmarus glacialis can be broken down to the Old Norse word full meaning "foul" and mar meaning "gull". "Foul-gull" is in reference to its stomach oil and also its superficial similarity to gulls. Finally, glacialis is Latin for "glacial" reflecting its extreme northern range.
The Fulmar is generally grey and white with a pale yellow and thick bill and bluish legs. However there is both a light morph and a dark morph. Like other petrels, their walking ability is limited but they are strong fliers with a stiff wing action quite unlike the gulls. The Fulmar also looks bull-necked compared to gulls and it has a short stubby bill.
The Fulmar is estimated to have between 15 to 30 million mature individuals that occupy a range of around 11 million square miles. Its range increased greatly last century due to the availability of fish offal from commercial fleets but may contract because of less food from this source and climate change. The population increase has been especially notable in the UK.
The Fulmar starts breeding at between 6 and 12 years old. It is monogamous, forms long term pair bonds, returns to the same nest site year after year and nests in large colonies. The nest is a scrape on a grassy cliff ledge or a saucer of vegetation on the ground lined with softer material and recently they have started nesting on rooftops and buildings.
The Fulmar feeds on shrimp, fish, squid, plankton, jellyfish and carrion as well as refuse. When eating fish, it will dive up to several feet deep to retrieve its prey.
Date: 17th June 2024
Location: RSPB Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire
The Fulmar’s latin name, Fulmarus glacialis can be broken down to the Old Norse word full meaning "foul" and mar meaning "gull". "Foul-gull" is in reference to its stomach oil and also its superficial similarity to gulls. Finally, glacialis is Latin for "glacial" reflecting its extreme northern range.
The Fulmar is generally grey and white with a pale yellow and thick bill and bluish legs. However there is both a light morph and a dark morph. Like other petrels, their walking ability is limited but they are strong fliers with a stiff wing action quite unlike the gulls. The Fulmar also looks bull-necked compared to gulls and it has a short stubby bill.
The Fulmar is estimated to have between 15 to 30 million mature individuals that occupy a range of around 11 million square miles. Its range increased greatly last century due to the availability of fish offal from commercial fleets but may contract because of less food from this source and climate change. The population increase has been especially notable in the UK.
The Fulmar starts breeding at between 6 and 12 years old. It is monogamous, forms long term pair bonds, returns to the same nest site year after year and nests in large colonies. The nest is a scrape on a grassy cliff ledge or a saucer of vegetation on the ground lined with softer material and recently they have started nesting on rooftops and buildings.
The Fulmar feeds on shrimp, fish, squid, plankton, jellyfish and carrion as well as refuse. When eating fish, it will dive up to several feet deep to retrieve its prey.
Date: 17th June 2024
Location: RSPB Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire
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