The Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) inhabits the waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Their genus name Fulmarus derives from the Old Norse word ‘Full’ meaning Foul and ‘mar’ meaning Gull. They are named such because of the foul smelling stomach oil they produce. They vomit this oil on avian predators to matt their feathers. It is also used as an energy rich food for chicks and adults when migrating. Even though they look like a gull they are actually part of the tube-nosed family (Procellariiformes) of seabirds which include Albatrosses and Petrels.
In Iceland, the Fulmar is the second most abundant seabird, after the Puffin, with about 1-2 million breeding pairs. They are a surface scavenger and so benefited enormously from the fishing industry. The eggs and chicks were once an important food source to the Icelandics’ but now they are collected for sport to a much lesser extent.
The pictures below were taken when out on a sea angling tour with Elding Whale Watch.
In Iceland, the Fulmar is the second most abundant seabird, after the Puffin, with about 1-2 million breeding pairs. They are a surface scavenger and so benefited enormously from the fishing industry. The eggs and chicks were once an important food source to the Icelandics’ but now they are collected for sport to a much lesser extent.
The pictures below were taken when out on a sea angling tour with Elding Whale Watch.
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