GANNETS AND CORMORANTS

87-100cm

Gannet

Sula Bassana

Birds of the open ocean, Gannets breed on small islands off the NW coast of Europe. They move away from land after nesting to winter at sea. The young migrate soudh as far as W Africa. Gannets feed on fish by plunge-diving from 25m, and nest in large, noisy colonies. The nest is a pile of seaweed. A single egg is incubated for 44 days. The young bird is fed by both parents and flies after 90 days.

ID FACT FILE

Size: Larger than any gull

Adult: White, black wing-tips, yellow nape

Juvenile: Grey, gradually becoming white over 5 years

Bill: Dagger-like

In Flight: Cigar-shaped with long, narrow, black-tipped wings

Voice: Usually silent, growling urr when nesting

Lookalikes: Skuas, Gulls and Terns (pp 123-139)

(Labels)

Adults at breeding colony

three immature stages

adult