Species BirdsNorthern Gannet

Northern Gannet

Morus bassanus

UncommonBird
Illustration of Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

The Northern Gannet is the largest seabird in the North Atlantic, plunging from heights of up to 100 feet into the sea at 60 mph to catch fish. Its skull is reinforced and has air-sac cushioning to withstand the repeated impact. Massive breeding colonies on rocky cliffs number in the tens of thousands of pairs, creating one of the great wildlife spectacles of the North Atlantic.

Habitat
Open North Atlantic ocean; breeds on rocky islands and cliffs
Diet
Mackerel, herring, and other schooling fish
How common
Uncommon

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