Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) lives in marine coastal across North Atlantic Ocean. It feeds on fish and krill. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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The genus Fulmarus contains only two living species: the northern fulmar and its sister species, the southern fulmar. No other extant birds share this genus, making it a uniquely small taxonomic group within the Procellariiformes. This limited diversity highlights the distinct evolutionary path of these seabirds, which are nevertheless widespread across sub-arctic oceans.
Fulmars can expel a waxy stomach oil from their mouths as a defence, coating the feathers of attacking birds and sometimes causing death. The oil, composed of wax esters and triglycerides, is stored in the proventriculus and can be sprayed from a very early age. It also serves as an energy-rich food source for chicks and for adults during their long flights over the ocean.
Northern fulmars are exceptionally long-lived seabirds; a lifespan of 31 years is common, and individuals have been recorded living beyond 50 years on Eynhallow in Orkney. Such ages place them among the longest-lived members of their order. Their longevity reflects a life history adapted to the demanding conditions of the high-latitude seas they inhabit.
Northern fulmars are widely used as a marker of marine litter because they are abundant and roam vast oceanic areas. A study of 143 individuals collected between 2008 and 2013 found that 89.5% contained micro-plastic fragments, with a mean of 19.5 pieces and 0.461 g of plastic per bird. This high ingestion rate reflects their position high in the food web, where they consume plankton and small invertebrates that have already accumulated debris.
The name Fulmar comes from the Old Norse word Fúlmár, meaning "foul-mew" or "foul-gull", a nod to the bird's habit of ejecting a foul-smelling oil. Carl Linnaeus first described the species in 1761 as Procellaria glacialis after examining a specimen from Spitsbergen inside the Arctic Circle. Later, the bird was reassigned to the genus Fulmarus, which was introduced by James Stephens in 1826.
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As the Northern Fulmar takes to the skies, its wings beat with a slow, deliberate rhythm, propelling it effortlessly across the waves as it rides the wind and currents with an air of serene mastery. With its slate-grey feathers glistening like the sea itself, this bird glides and swoops with a fluid, almost ethereal, motion, its gaze fixed intently on the waters below as it searches for the fish and crustaceans that sustain it. In its element, the Northern Fulmar is a paragon of elegance and adaptability, a true child of the wild, harsh beauty of the northern oceans.
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