For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
Northern Fulmars
Scientific name: Fulmarus glacialis
Size: Approx 50cm, wingspan up to 117cm
Distribution: Found around most of the UK coast
Months seen: All year round except in late autumn
Life Span: Over 30 years
Habitat: Cliffs at coastal areas
Food: Fish, crustaceans and offal
Special features: Northern Fulmars have a white head with a yellow and grey beak. The beak has a distinctive nostril tube on the top. The neck is very short. The upper sides of the wings and the back are light grey coloured. The breast and undersides are white. The tail is grey, which distinguishes it from any of the UK gulls.
Sometimes Fulmars can be darker in colour (dark grey back and a pale grey head and breast), and these birds are known as 'Blue Fulmars'. Blue Fulmars are generally seen further north.
Fulmars nest on cliffs ledges, returning to the same site every year. They produce one chick each year.
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