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Northern Gannet

A species of Gannets, Also known as Common Gannet
Scientific name : Morus bassanus Genus : Gannets

Northern Gannet, A species of Gannets
Also known as:
Common Gannet
Botanical name: Morus bassanus
Genus: Gannets
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Description

An adult northern gannet has a 170–180 cm (67–71 in) wingspan, and is 87–100 cm (34–39 in) long and weighs 2.3–3.6 kg (5.1–7.9 lb), making it the largest gannet and the largest seabird native to the western Palearctic. The two sexes are generally of a similar size and appearance. The plumage is white with dark brown to black wing tips; the primary flight feathers, primary coverts and alulae are dark. The head and neck are tinged buff-yellow, becoming much more prominent in the breeding season. Males are more deeply coloured than females. The eyes have a light blue to light grey iris surrounded by a thin black ring of bare skin. The beak is long, strong and conical with a slight downcurve at the end and a sharp cutting edge. In adults, the beak is blue-grey with dark grey or black edges. There is a black groove running the length of the mandible that merges into the skin around the eyes. A black band of bare skin also separates the pale feathers of the forehead and throat from the bill, which gives the gannet its distinctive face markings. The four-toed feet are joined by a membrane that can vary in colour from dark grey to dark brown. There are coloured lines running along the toes that continue along up the legs. These are typically greenish-yellow in males and bluish in females and probably have a role in mating. Fledglings are dark grey to slate-grey with upperparts and wings finely speckled with white. There is a prominent V-shaped white area under the rump. The wing tips and tail are dark brown-black, partly tipped with white. The bill and iris are dark brown. They can weigh more than 4 kg (8.8 lb) by the time they leave the nest at about 10 weeks of age. In the second year, the bird's appearance changes depending on the different phases of moulting: they can have adult plumage at the front and continue to be brown at the rear. Gannets gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years. Northern gannets are slightly larger and thicker-billed than Cape or Australian gannets. The northern gannet has more white in the wings and an all-white tail, the other species having black tips to their tail feathers. Individuals on the west coast of Africa could be confused with vagrant masked boobies, though the latter is smaller overall, lacks the buff tinge to the head, and has a black tail. From a distance, or in poor visibility, albatrosses can be confused with northern gannets, particularly those with immature plumage that have more black on the wings.
Size
89 - 102 cm
Colors
Black
White
Life Expectancy
21 years
Nest Placement
Cliff
Clutch Size
1 egg
Incubation Period
1 brood
Number of Broods
42 - 46 days
Nestling Period
82 - 99 days
Feeding Habits
Northern Gannet's diet consists mainly of surface-shoaling fish (80-90%) and occasionally squid. Prey varies by region, including herring, mackerel, and capelin. Northern Gannet dives at speeds up to 60 mph from heights over 100 feet, submerging to 72 feet max. Males and females exhibit different foraging behaviors; females are more selective, making longer, deeper dives. Northern Gannet often follows boats, taking bycatch, and can travel 200+ mi from nesting sites for food.
Habitat
Northern Gannet are typically found in marine environments, most often establishing colonies on steep sea cliffs or rocky offshore islands. These birds prefer the frigid and turbulent climates of the far north for nesting. Northern Gannet thrive at sea level in areas where the continental shelf provides an abundance of fish, their main prey. They are generally absent from both arctic and tropical waters, favoring the North Atlantic region, from eastern Canada to the Carolinas. While they primarily forage in saltwater, they can occasionally be found in brackish waters and rarely venture into inland freshwater areas.
Nest Behavior
Northern Gannet males initiate the nest build with a scrape, followed by side construction. Nesting includes wind-assisted takeoff/landing at sites. They partake in synchronized egg-laying and both parents engage in chick rearing.
Nest Characteristics
Northern Gannet construct nests on cliffs or slopes by the sea, using materials like grass, algae, and feathers cemented with mud and excrement. They incorporate odd sea-found objects, forming pedestals about 12 inches across and 8 inches tall, which can reach 40 inches.
Dite type
Piscivorous

Migration Overview

After the breeding season, adult northern gannets disperse over a wide area although they travel no more than 800 to 1,600 km (500 to 1,000 mi) from the breeding colony. It is not known if all birds from one colony migrate to the same over-wintering area. Many adults migrate to the west of the Mediterranean, passing over the Strait of Gibraltar and flying over land as little as possible. Other birds follow Africa's Atlantic coastline to arrive in the Gulf of Guinea. Immature northern gannets from colonies in Canada fly to the Gulf of Mexico, much further south than the adults. The immature gannets migrate southwards for great distances and have been recorded as far south as Ecuador. In their second year some birds return to the colony they were born in, where they arrive later than the mature birds. They then migrate south again at the end of the breeding season, but travel shorter distances in this second migration. Gannets from Alderney have been tracked since 2015 to gain better knowledge of their movements. One individual was found to have travelled from its colony in Alderney to Scandinavian waters, a round trip of around 2,700 km (1,680 mi). The species has been recorded as a vagrant in many central and eastern European countries as far south and west as the Black Sea, and also in Bermuda, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Jan Mayen and Syria. In February 2016, one was recorded from Ceará in northeastern Brazil—the first sighting in the Southern Hemisphere.

General Info

Behavior

Northern Gannet exhibit a distinct social structure, notably forming monogamous, lifelong pairs within dense breeding colonies known as gannetries. These colonies are vibrant, with activities ranging from territory establishment by males through conspicuous head shaking and biting, to intense rivalries for nest sites. Unique bonding rituals such as 'mutual fencing' and nape nibbling reinforce pair connections. Their daily life involves cooperative parenting, with both sexes sharing responsibilities in feeding their young from extended foraging trips, and protecting the nest with vigorous defense mechanisms. Post-breeding, northern Gannet gather in flocks for foraging expeditions in northern waters before embarking on their migratory journey to spend the winter months at sea, showcasing their extraordinary plunge-diving skills in pursuit of fish.

Distribution Area

The northern gannet's breeding range is on both sides of the North Atlantic on coasts influenced by the Gulf Stream, There are colonies in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and on the islands off the east coast of Canada. They normally nest in large colonies, on cliffs overlooking the ocean or on small rocky islands. The water needs to be cool enough for Atlantic mackerel and herring, which are the main food source for the northern gannet. These areas also overlie the continental shelf. Northern gannet colonies can be found in the far north in regions that are very cold and stormy, and Nelson has suggested that they can survive in these regions for several reasons, including the combination of body weight and a powerful beak that allows them to capture strong muscular fish, and the ability to dive to great depths and capture prey far from the cliffs. Their fat reserves act as weight when diving and as reserves during extended periods without food. The northern limit of their breeding area depends on the presence of waters that are free of sea ice during the breeding season. Therefore, while Greenland and Svalbard offer suitable breeding sites, the Arctic regions have summers that are too short to allow the northern gannets to lay their eggs and raise a brood, which requires between 26 and 30 weeks. The southern limit of their distribution mainly depends on the presence of sufficient prey. There is fossil evidence of northern gannets breeding on Crete in the Pleistocene.

Species Status

In 1992, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated the bird's population to be some 526,000. After taking into account an estimate produced for BirdLife International in 2004 of the European population, the IUCN revised its global population to between 950,000 and 1,200,000 individuals. The IUCN lists northern gannets as a species of least concern, as they are widely distributed and as there is a large population that appears to be growing, due to high breeding success with 75% of eggs producing fledged young.
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Scientific Classification

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