Northern Fulmar

Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is a stocky, stiff-winged seabird with a conspicuous tubular nostril structure and pale and dark plumage forms. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It glides over cold northern seas, feeding on fish, plankton and carrion at the surface, and nests in loose colonies on sea cliffs. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).