Fulmar

This seabird, resembling a hybrid of a shearwater and a gull, is stocky and medium-sized with varying plumage. Light morphs exhibit white underparts and gray upper parts akin to a gull, while dark morphs appear generally sooty-gray, with deeper hues in the Pacific. Most birds have a light patch on their upper wings and sport a thick pale bill with an orange tip. They fly using stiff wingbeats, maneuvering like shearwaters in flight patterns. Often observed individually or in loose flocks, they feed alongside other seabirds. Nesting primarily on high-latitude cliffs across the Northern Hemisphere, they frequent cold offshore waters but are seldom seen from land except near colonies. Atlantic and Pacific populations potentially represent distinct species.