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Fulmars


Fulmars resemble gulls in appearance and also in scavenging habits.

Flying like Shearwaters, Fulmars are typically found far at sea.
They nest on high sea cliffs and lay 1 egg.

The northern fulmar breeds on islands and coastal cliffs in
the northern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The southern, or Antarctic,
fulmar breeds on the Antarctic mainland and sub Antarctic islands.

In winter, northern birds wander as far south as Baja
California, and southern birds to within 10 degrees of the
equator off western South America.


Both are large, heavyset birds with pale gray and dark gray
color phases. They feed on fish, other marine animals, and
organic garbage discarded from ships.


Another species, the Antarctic giant-petrel, is sometimes known as
the giant fulmar.

Fulmars make up the genus Fulmarus of the family Procellariidae.


The northern fulmar is classified as Fulmarus glacialis; the
southern, or Antarctic, fulmar as Fulmarus glacialoides. The
Antarctic giant-petrel is classified as Macronectes giganteus

Picture Northern Fulmar



See Also:

Index of North American Birds


Index of All Bird Care & Birdie Fun Stuff

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