Northern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis

>> GENERAL >>>>>

– medium-sized seabird, size of Common Gull
– mostly dismigrational movements
– diurnal migrant, possibly nocturnal as well, strictly marine
– usually migrates singly, sometimes very loose, small flocks
– rarely seen in Mediterranean Sea and Baltic Sea

>> VISUAL ID >>>>>


Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni, 1CY
BIF2443, 13/09/2010, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– cylindrical body due to rounded head and strong neck, typical strong and hooked bill with tube shaped nostrils
– varible plumage from verly light to dark greyish blue
– all over fresh and uniform plumage indicates a juvenile/1CY bird

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni, 1CY
BIF2444, 25/09/2009, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– one generation of coverts and remiges in late September indicates a juvenile/1CY bird

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni, 2CY
BIF2445, 16/04/2011, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– light individual of dark morph, all coverts and remiges are one generation indicating a 2CY

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni
BIF2446, 16/04/2011, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– some secondaries are worn or missing indicating that this bird has to be older than 2CY

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni
BIF2447, 16/04/2011, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– both birds have almost completed their moult of secondaries, missing or worn secondaries by mid of April indicate an age older 2CY

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni
BIF2448, 16/04/2011, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– light individual of dark morph, on distance it can be misstaken for Sooty Shearwater, but this species has a brown body, white carpal patch and dark axillaries

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni
BIF2449, 12/06/2009, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– rarely seen flying high above the water

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis auduboni
BIF2450, 12/06/2009, North Sea, offshore, Mathias Putze
– most often seen gliding with long wings low over the water surface, active flight by low and fast wing beats

>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>

in flight nonvocal away from breeding grounds

>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>

Southern Fulmar
Sooty Shearwater
Manx Shearwater
Balearic Shearwater
Yelkouan Shearwater

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