Northern fulmar

[FULMARUS GLACIALIS]

Usually at home among the arctic ice pack, fulmars move south in September to winter along the Pacific coast. These powerful, confident fliers arc effortlessly over the water even in the strongest gales, and for some people they embody the spirit of the vast ocean wilderness. Huge numbers congregate on the California coast, where they either wander widely in search of jellyfish and crustaceans or gather in noisy hordes to feed on discards from fishing boats. By December, food supplies dwindle and fulmar carcasses begin to wash up on beaches. This boom-and-bust cycle is apparently part of the species’ life history; in the 19th century, Charles Darwin considered it the world’s most abundant bird.

NATURAL HISTORY

Fulmars are part of a group of ocean birds called tubenoses. The tubular nostrils atop their bills let them drink seawater and excrete excess salt, plus give them a keen sense of smell (rare among birds).

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

These robust and stocky birds are rather gull-like in appearance; their overall color ranges from blackish to pale gray.