Fulmars are seabirds of the family Procellariidae. The family consists of two extant species that are living and two that are extinct. For more information, see our guide on mammals.
Description
The two Fulmars are closely related seabirds occupying the same niche in different oceans.
- The Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, or just Fulmar, lives in the north Atlantic and north Pacific, whereas
- the Southern Fulmar, F. glacialoides, is, as its name implies, a bird of the southern oceans.
These birds look superficially like gulls, but are unrelated and are in fact petrels.
The northern species is grey and white with a yellow bill, 43–52 cm (17–20 in) in length with a 102–112 cm (40–44 in) wingspan. The southern form is a paler bird with dark wing tips, 45–50 cm (18–20 in) long, with a 115–120 cm (45–47 in) wingspan.
Breeding
Both recent species breed on cliffs, laying a single white egg. Unlike many small to medium birds in the Procellariiformes, they are neither nocturnal breeders nor do they use burrows; their eggs are laid on the bare rock or in shallow depressions lined with plant material.
Northern Fulmars historically bred on St. Kilda and spread into northern Scotland in the 19th century, and to the rest of the United Kingdom by 1930. For example, the establishment of colonies at the Fowlsheugh Reserve in Scotland was one of the first areas to be developed for new permanent Fulmar breeding areas.
Feeding
They are highly pelagic (open sea) outside the breeding season, like most tubenoses, feeding on fish, oil or offal (= entrails and internal organs of butchered animals).
Recent studies in the North Sea have shown them to be especially susceptible to plastic discards.
The range of these species 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 British Isles.
Like other petrels, their walking ability is limited, but they are strong fliers, with a stiff wing action quite unlike the gulls. They look bull-necked compared to gulls and have short, stubby bills. They are long-lived, with a lifespan of 40 years not uncommon.
Taxonomy
As members of Procellaridae and then the order Procellariiformes, they share certain traits.
First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called naricorns. According to RSPB, this species is well documented.
Although the nostrils on the Albatross are on the sides of the bill. According to BirdLife International, this species is well documented.
The bills of Procellariiformes are also unique in that they are split into between 7 and 9 horny plates.
Finally, they produce a stomach oil made up of wax esters and triglycerides that are stored in the proventriculus (stomach). This is used against predators as well as an energy-rich food source for chicks and for adults during their long flights. It will matt the plumage of avian predators and can lead to their death.
They also have a salt gland that is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their bodies, due to the high amount of ocean water that they imbibe. It excretes a high saline solution from its nose.
Two prehistoric species have been described from fossil bones found on the Pacific coast of California: Fulmarus miocaenus from the Middle and Fulmarus hammeri from the Late Miocene.
Etymology
The genus name Fulmarus is derived from the Old Norse word full, meaning foul, and ma, meaning gull. This foul gull is in reference to their stomach oil.
References
- Aberdeen (2005) Fowlsheugh Ecology Lumina Press
- Bull, John; Farrand Jr., John (June 1993) [1977]. “Open Ocea,n”. in Opper, Jane. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds. The Audubon Society Field Guide Series. Birds (Eastern Region) (First ed.). New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 314. ISBN 0 394 41405 5.
- Ehrlich, Paul R.; Dobkin, DDavi S.; Wheye, Darryl (1988). The Birders Handbook (First ed.). New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. p. 14. ISBN 0 671 65989 8.
- Gotch, A. F. (1995) [1979]. “Albatrosses, Fulmars, Shearwaters, and Petrels”. Latin Names Explain: A Guide to the Scientific Classifications of Reptiles, Birds and Mammals. New York, NY: Facts on File. pp. 191—192. ISBN 0 8160 3377 3.
- Harrison, P. (1983). Seabirds: An identification guide. Beckenham, U.K.: Croom Helm. ISBN 0-7470-1410-8.
Vocalization
The breeding season is when fulmars are loudest. They remain quiet on the sea but become very vocal at home. Nesting colonies are full of guttural, harsh sounds to help the birds communicate.
They are often described as making gurgling, croaking, or grunting noises. These vocalisations have multiple functions, such as identifying mates and warding away intruders. They also serve to maintain territorial boundaries. The fulmar’s vocalisations have evolved more for functionality than aesthetics. They were developed to make themselves heard above the noise of thousands of nesting birds.
It is important to maintain social order in colonies that are densely packed, where physical aggression, particularly between nesting neighbours, is common.
Conservation
The increased availability of food due to fishing activities was a major factor in the dramatic increase in the fulmar population, particularly on the British Isles. Offal and other wastes from fishing boats provided an artificial food source that allowed populations of fulmars to spread into new areas.
Recent decades, however, have presented new challenges. Plastic pollution is a serious threat to the environment. The consumption of floating debris by fulmars has led to significant levels of plastic intake, and the long-term effects are still being investigated. As commercial fisheries became more regulated, fish offal availability decreased. This could have reduced the supplemental source of food that previously supported the growth of the fulmar population.
Climate change is also a threat. The distribution and abundances of prey species that fulmars depend upon may be affected by changes in ocean currents and sea surface temperatures. In some areas, overfishing and declining fish stocks may exacerbate food shortages.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified both the Northern and Southern Fulmars as species of Low Concern. Scientists and conservationists monitor them closely. Due to their long lifespan and slow reproduction, even a small change in the adult survival rate can have a long-term impact on population stability.
Conclusion
Fulmars are not as well-known as albatrosses, nor as widespread as gulls. But they are still among the most successful seabirds. The stiff-winged flight of fulmars, their tube-like noses and defensive stomach oils, all of which reflect centuries of evolution, are a result of living in the harshest environments on earth.
These fish are vital indicators for the health of the ocean. The interdependence of marine life with human industry is highlighted by their widespread consumption of plastics and their sensitivity to changing fish populations. It’s not only about saving an endangered bird species. It’s also about maintaining the ecological balance in our oceans, and recognising the impact human activities have on even the remotest corners of Earth.
Fulmars remind us that nature is resilient and powerful as long as they continue to glide across cold, windswept waters and return to their nesting rocks. They are a reminder that wild oceans are still worth saving.
