Definition

Noun: 1. A heavy, short-tailed oceanic bird of polar regions: The fulmar petrel is a seabird belonging to the family Procellariidae. It is characterized by its robust body, short tail, and tube-like nostrils on its bill. It is commonly found gliding over the cold, open waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We spotted a fulmar petrel gliding effortlessly on the stiff Arctic winds.
  • The fulmar petrel is well-adapted to life at sea, coming to land only to breed on steep cliffs.
  • A distinguishing feature of the fulmar petrel is its ability to eject a foul-smelling stomach oil as a defense mechanism.

Advanced Usage

• "Northern fulmar": This is a common alternative name for the species , often used interchangeably with "fulmar petrel" in ornithology.
  • The population of the northern fulmar has increased significantly in recent decades.

Variants and Related Words

• Fulmar (n): A shortened, more common form of "fulmar petrel."
  • A flock of fulmars followed the fishing trawler.
• Procellariiform (adj/n): Relating to the order of seabirds that includes petrels, albatrosses, and shearwaters.
  • The fulmar petrel is a procellariiform bird.

Synonyms

• Northern fulmar: The most direct synonym, specifying the common Northern Hemisphere species.
• Tubenose: A general term for seabirds in the order Procellariiformes, referring to their distinctive tubular nostrils. (Note: This is a broader category that includes the fulmar petrel.)

Related Phrases and Idioms

(This specific bird name does not commonly feature in idiomatic English phrases. Its usage is primarily zoological and descriptive.)

Noun

1. heavy short-tailed oceanic bird of polar regions