NORTHERN FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis

NORTHERN FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis

Fulmar
L 45–50 cm, WS 102–112 cm.

IDENTIFICATION 

Large petrel, intermediate between shearwaters and gulls in shape, with coloration (especially of light morph) recalling latter. Head and body rather chunky, with stout, neckless appearance, but wings shorter and narrower than in gulls. Flight action recalls albatrosses more than shearwaters, consisting of several rapid wingbeats alternating with prolonged glides on stiffly held straight wings, using air currents above sea surface or along nesting cliffs and in windier conditions effortlessly banking and gliding, following the contours of the sea, or bounding in high arcs (tilted over almost vertically), with hardly a wingbeat. Flight is thus very different from that of gulls. Polymorphic, with intermediates. Freely visits breeding cliffs in daytime, unlike our other tubenoses. (The chicks on the breeding ledges, often left for long periods alone, resemble fat balls of blue-grey down.) Often follows ships and scavenges. 

Sociable; frequently gathers in flocks on water, often not far offshore. May be distinguished from shearwaters by shorter, broader wings, broader tail, thicker and shorter bill, uniformly white (pale morph) or grey (dark morph) head, stocky, bullnecked appearance, and fairly uniform grey upperparts, upperwing and tail (light morph) or whole plumage (dark morph). Pale morph distinguished from larger adult gulls with grey upperparts by stiffer, straight-winged flight action (see above), bull-necked appearance, short, stubby bill, shorter, narrower wings with pale panel on primaries, lack of clean-cut black on wingtip and lack of white trailing edge to upper wing. 

On breeding ledges looks creamier-white on head and breast than gulls, with dark ‘eye-shadow’ created by dark patch in front of eye. Takes to air from cliff ledges by literally falling off and opening wings, and rises from sea by pattering along surface, unlike gulls. Some intermediate individuals with greyish crown and nape (as well as grey upperparts, upperwing and tail) can suggest Cory’s Shearwater, but latter distinctly browner, with structural differences (see above) and looser wingbeats. Other intermediates are uniform pale grey (paler than dark morph). Worn birds often show brownish cast on upperparts, upperwing and tail (pale morph) or entire plumage (dark morph), and pale panel on primaries becomes more conspicuous. 

VOICE 

Quite noisy at breeding sites, where predominant calls are a slow cackling ‘aaark-aaww-aaark-aawwaaark’
and a faster cackling ‘cock-cock-cock-cockaaww- cock-cock-cock’, delivered at every pitch from quiet crooning to loud and excited. Often silent at sea, but guttural cackling given by feeding groups. 

GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION 

Pale morph overwhelmingly dominant (over 99%) in south of range. Dark morph predominant in extreme north, rapidly becoming a minority further south.

UNUSUAL VARIANTS 

Albinism occurs occasionally. Symmetrically mottled partial albinos can vaguely suggest Cape Petrel (q.v.).

STATUS/HABITAT 

Common. (Present throughout mapped marine range all year except in far north when sea ice unbroken. Has increased in numbers and extended breeding range southwards, with prospecting now recorded in Denmark.) Nests on cliff ledges, occasionally even stone walls, buildings etc, usually, but not always, close to sea. Vacates colonies only in autumn/early winter. Frequents both inshore and offshore waters.