Photo: Original: AWeith; this edit: MPF / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Seabirds & Tubenoses

Northern Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of British Columbia Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Northwest Territories Birds of Nunavut Birds of Ontario Birds of Prince Edward Island Birds of Quebec Birds of Yukon Territory

By family

Petrels & Shearwaters of British Columbia Petrels & Shearwaters of Nova Scotia

See what's near you right now

The Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is a member of the Procellariidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 612 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Procellariiformes
Family Procellariidae Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Genus Fulmarus
Species glacialis

Where it lives

Is. and coasts of North Atlantic, bays between Arctic and North Atlantic, and North Pacific including Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea

Quick facts

Weight: 612 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Procellariidae
Order: Procellariiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Northern Fulmar hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Northern Fulmar is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) belongs to the Procellariidae family of the order Procellariiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL is. and coasts of North Atlantic, bays between Arctic and North Atlantic, and North Pacific including Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 612 g, with a wing length of about 32.1 cm and a tail of around 13.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 29.5 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Northern Fulmar — Alarm call, call

Recorded by Lucien Hueber Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Northern Fulmar?

The Northern Fulmar is a large bird that weighs around 612 g.

Where does the Northern Fulmar live?

The Northern Fulmar is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL is. and coasts of North Atlantic, bays between Arctic and North Atlantic, and North Pacific including Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Northern Fulmar belong to?

The Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) belongs to the Procellariidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.

What does the Northern Fulmar eat?

The Northern Fulmar hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Northern Fulmar migrate?

The Northern Fulmar is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Northern Fulmar endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Northern Fulmar make?

1 real field recording of the Northern Fulmar — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Northern Fulmar's range?

The Northern Fulmar has a mapped global range of about 29.5 million km².