Northern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Where is it found?
Coastal
Diet and foraging method
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Captures prey from the surface of the water but will also dive after prey
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Key adaptations
Fulmars have a specialised structure on their beak for spraying out concentrated salt water to help them cope with drinking seawater and eating salty food. Fulmars also have a sharp, curved beak to help them tear apart fish and other marine organisms.
Social organisation and mating system
Lives in large mixed seabird colonies during the breeding season.
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Individuals form monogamous pairs with the opposite sex.
Did you know that...?
Fulmar chicks projectile vomit on predators when they are attacked. This sticky, oily, smelly fish gunk repels the predator as well as binding their feathers together making flight much more difficult. Fulmar chicks don't just vomit on predatory birds, but also passing rock climbers and fisherman, the smell is so repugnant and does not come off no matter how many times you try to wash it off.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Fulmarus glacialis 1 2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fulmarus_glacialis_1_2.jpg#/media/File:Fulmarus_glacialis_1_2.jpg
"Northern-Fulmar" by Andreas Trepte - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern-Fulmar.jpg#/media/File:Northern-Fulmar.jpg
"Northern Fulmar scotland RWD3" by DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Fulmar_scotland_RWD3.jpg#/media/File:Northern_Fulmar_scotland_RWD3.jpg
"Flickr - Rainbirder - Northern Fulmar headshot" by Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland - Northern Fulmar headshot. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Rainbirder_-_Northern_Fulmar_headshot.jpg#/media/File:Flickr_-_Rainbirder_-_Northern_Fulmar_headshot.jpg
"Eissturmvogel-drawing". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eissturmvogel-drawing.jpg#/media/File:Eissturmvogel-drawing.jpg
"Fulmarus glacialis 1 2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fulmarus_glacialis_1_2.jpg#/media/File:Fulmarus_glacialis_1_2.jpg
"Northern-Fulmar" by Andreas Trepte - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern-Fulmar.jpg#/media/File:Northern-Fulmar.jpg
"Northern Fulmar scotland RWD3" by DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Fulmar_scotland_RWD3.jpg#/media/File:Northern_Fulmar_scotland_RWD3.jpg
"Flickr - Rainbirder - Northern Fulmar headshot" by Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland - Northern Fulmar headshot. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Rainbirder_-_Northern_Fulmar_headshot.jpg#/media/File:Flickr_-_Rainbirder_-_Northern_Fulmar_headshot.jpg
"Eissturmvogel-drawing". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eissturmvogel-drawing.jpg#/media/File:Eissturmvogel-drawing.jpg