Southern Fulmar

Characterized by a robust and stocky silhouette, this medium-to-large seabird measures between 45 and 50 centimeters in length, with a wingspan ranging from 110 to 120 centimeters. Its plumage features a distinctive coloration, consisting of pale silvery-gray upperparts that contrast sharply with the pure white head, neck, and entire underparts. A conspicuous dark patch of charcoal-gray feathers surrounds the eye, providing a defined facial expression. The wings are long and moderately broad, displaying a prominent white patch on the inner primaries. Its stout pinkish-yellow bill is tipped with black and features prominent light blue-gray nasal tubes at the base, which is characteristic of the Procellariiformes order.

Geographical distribution: This species occupies a vast circumpolar distribution throughout the Southern Ocean. Breeding colonies are strategically established on the coastlines of the Antarctic continent and adjacent subantarctic islands, including the South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands, South Sandwich Islands, Bouvet Island, and Peter I Island. During the austral winter, individuals disperse northward into temperate waters, following cold currents such as the Humboldt Current to Peru and Chile, the Southwest Atlantic along Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, as well as the coastal waters of South Africa, southern Australia, and New Zealand.

Habitat: Strongly associated with the pelagic marine environment, it exhibits a preference for the cold-water zones of subantarctic and Antarctic seas. This pelagic seabird rarely approaches land except during the breeding season, remaining highly adapted to turbulent seas, high winds, and drifting pack ice. Its terrestrial occurrences are restricted to steep coastal rocky cliffs, rugged ledges, and debris-covered slopes that offer optimal wind currents for taking off and landing.

Feeding: Operating as an opportunistic predator and scavenger, its diet comprises a broad range of marine organisms. The primary food sources include Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), small pelagic fish, squid, and various planktonic crustaceans. It is also well-known for feeding on floating carrion from marine mammals and actively scavenging waste from active commercial fishing vessels. Foraging techniques include surface-seizing, shallow plunge-diving, and short pursuit dives to capture prey beneath the surface.

Behavior: Highly gregarious in nature, it forms large, active flocks both at sea and on nesting cliffs. Its flight pattern is highly efficient, combining long, stiff-winged glides close to the water surface with periods of rapid, shallow wingbeats. This bird displays aggressive, noisy behavior when feeding in groups, producing harsh cackling and guttural croaking sounds. When defending its nest site from predators or intruders, it possesses the unique ability to forcefully eject a foul-smelling stomach oil from its mouth with high precision, which can ruin the insulation of an enemy´s feathers or fur.

Nesting: The breeding cycle begins in October or November when adults return to their established cliff colonies. The nest is a simple, shallow scrape located on rocky ledge crevices or gravelly ground, sometimes lined with small pebbles. Females deposit a single white egg around late November, which is incubated by both parents in alternating shifts for approximately 45 to 47 days. The chick is fed a nutrient-dense, lipid-rich regurgitated oil and partially digested food. The fledgling period lasts between 52 and 55 days, with young birds departing for the open ocean by late February or March.

Conservation status: Classified as a species of Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The global population is exceptionally large, estimated to number in the millions of individuals, and is currently considered stable. Nonetheless, potential long-term threats to its populations include the negative impacts of climate change on sea-ice dynamics, ingestion of marine plastic debris, and incidental mortality in longline fisheries.