Everything about The Northern Gannet totally explained
The
Northern Gannet (
Morus bassanus, formerly
Sula bassana) is a large
seabird of the
gannet family,
Sulidae.
Young birds are dark brown in their first year, and gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years.
Adults are 87-100 cm long and have a 165-180 cm wingspan. Their plumage is white with black wing tips. The bill is light bluish. The eye is light blue, and it's surrounded by bare, black skin. During breeding, the head and neck are brushed in a delicate yellow.
Their breeding range is the
North Atlantic. They normally
nest in large colonies, on cliffs overlooking the ocean or on small rocky islands. The largest colony of this bird, with over 60,000 birds, is found on
Bonaventure Island,
Quebec, but 68% of the world population breeds around the coasts of
Great Britain, with the largest colonies on the
Bass Rock (whence the species' Latin name) and
Boreray, St Kilda.
Gannet pairs may remain together over several seasons. They perform elaborate greeting rituals at the nest, stretching their bills and necks skywards and gently tapping bills together.
They are
migratory and most winter at sea, heading further south in the Atlantic.
These birds are spectacular divers, plunging into the ocean at high speed. They mainly eat small
fish which gather in groups near the surface. Although they're powerful and agile fliers, they're clumsy in takeoffs and landings.
Although Northern Gannet populations are now stable, their numbers were once greatly reduced due to loss of
habitat, removal of eggs and killing of adults.
Old names for the Northern Gannet include solan, solan goose and solant bird.
Isle of Lewis
In the
United Kingdom, gannets are a protected species. However, a legal exception is made for the inhabitants of the town of Ness (also known as Port Nis) of the
Isle of Lewis who are allowed to kill up to 2,000 gannets (locally known as
guga) annually to serve as a traditional local delicacy - the taste is described as
fishy
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Many of these gannets are taken from
Sula Sgeir which is itself named after them.
Photo gallery
Image:Morus bassanus billing.jpg|Northern Gannets at Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec
Image:Two Gannets edit 2.jpg|Northern Gannets at Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec
Image:Morus bassanus 8.jpg|Northern Gannet on Helgoland
Image:Morus bassanus 19.jpg|Northern Gannet on Helgoland
Image:Morus bassanus 9.jpg|Northern Gannet on Helgoland
Image:Gannet8a.jpg|Northern Gannet in flight
Image:Morus-bassanus_Northern_Gannet.jpg|Northern gannet in flight
Image:Northern Gannet 2006.jpg|Northern Gannet on Bonaventure Island, Quebec
Image:FouDeBassan5.jpg|Northern Gannet colony on Bonaventure Island
Image:Gannet_Runde.jpg|Northern Gannet at the Norwegian bird-island Runde
Image:Sula Sgeir from the South West.jpg|Sula Sgeir showing Northern Gannet colony and guano
Image:St Kilda Stac Lee.jpg|Gannet colony on Stac Lee
Further Information
Get more info on 'Northern Gannet'.
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