The Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus): The Ocean's Missile
The gannet bird is famous for its spectacular plunge-dives, reaching speeds of 60 mph (100 km/h) on impact.
Europe's Largest Seabird
Have you ever had the chance to see a Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) in action? It's an experience that sticks with you! This incredible seabird spends its whole life out in the vast ocean, far away from our everyday worries (scientists refer to this as strictly pelagic). But when it comes to hunting, it’s nothing short of spectacular.
Imagine this: it spots a fish from 100 feet in the air, then dives down like a living missile, hitting the water at speeds over 60 mph! It’s like witnessing nature’s very own Top Gun pilot in action. And if you ever find yourself near their colonies along the Atlantic cliffs, you’ll see what looks like bustling cities filled with these stunning birds—a feathered traffic jam where every family has claimed its own little slice of paradise.
Our Ornithologist's Tip
By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on July 14, 2025
My advice: To witness the Northern Gannet's spectacle, head to a coastal cliff or take a boat trip near a breeding colony. The sight (and sound!) of thousands of birds is unforgettable.
Scan the skies for their bright white forms soaring high above the water. They will suddenly fold their wings into a streamlined arrow shape and execute a breathtaking high-speed plunge dive, piercing the water from heights of up to 100 feet (30 meters). Often, you'll see dozens, even hundreds, diving in the same area, a true natural wonder. It is this powerful, vertical aerial dive that is THE signature move of the Northern Gannet.
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Identifying the Gannet (Adult & Juvenile)
The appearance of a gannet changes dramatically with age, which can lead to confusion.
The Adult: White and Gold Elegance
The adult gannet is easily recognizable. It has a pristine white body, a beautiful golden-yellow head and neck (varying in intensity by season), and piercing blue eyes circled in black. The most striking feature in flight is the **all-black tip of its long wings**, contrasting sharply with the rest of its body. Its bill is long, conical, powerful, and blue-gray.
The Juvenile: An Evolving Plumage
The young gannet looks very different. In its first year, it is entirely dark grey-brown, speckled with small white spots. It will take about five years to acquire its final adult plumage, passing through several intermediate stages where white gradually replaces the brown.
The juvenile gannet's plumage (right) is nothing like the adult's (left), a maturation process that takes 5 years.
The Spectacular Dive: A Unique Technique
The Northern Gannet is an outstanding hunter. It spots its prey (mackerel, herring) from a height of 30 to 130 feet (10 to 40 meters). Once a target is located, it tips over and dives vertically, folding its wings along its body to become a living arrow. It can reach speeds of up to 60 mph (100 km/h) as it hits the water, allowing it to pursue fish up to 50 feet (15 meters) deep.
To survive such impacts, it has incredible adaptations: air sacs under the skin of its neck and chest that act as airbags, and internal nostrils to prevent water from rushing into its lungs.
The Call: Distinctive Vocalizations
While Northern Gannets are often quiet when foraging at sea, they become incredibly vocal and noisy at their breeding colonies. Their calls are typically harsh, guttural sounds, often described as "arr-ah" or "grah-grah", creating a bustling soundscape characteristic of a large seabird colony.
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Not to be confused with...
Atlantic Puffin
While both are seabirds, the Atlantic Puffin is much smaller (1 ft tall) and stockier than the Northern Gannet (3 ft tall). Puffins have a short, triangular, and famously colorful bill, unlike the gannet's long, pointed blue-gray bill. Their fishing behavior also differs: puffins dive from the surface and "fly" underwater with their wings, whereas gannets perform spectacular high-altitude plunge-dives.
Many people mistake a gannet for a large gull. However, the Herring Gull has broader, slower-flapping wings compared to the gannet's stiff, powerful wingbeats and long, pointed wings. Its bill is thick, powerful, with a hooked tip and a red spot, contrasting with the gannet's long, straight, conical bill without a hook. Gulls typically scavenge or pick food from the surface, rarely performing the gannet's high-speed plunge-dives.
The Northern Gannet is an exclusively marine bird. Outside the breeding season, it spends its life on the open sea in the North Atlantic. It only comes ashore to breed, forming extremely dense and noisy colonies on isolated coastal cliffs and rocky islands. The most famous "gannetries" are in Scotland (Bass Rock), Ireland, Iceland, and Canada (Bonaventure Island).
Distribution Map
Conservation Status
The Northern Gannet is currently listed as "Least Concern" (LC) by the IUCN. Its populations increased significantly during the 20th century due to protection measures. However, it remains vulnerable to overfishing, which reduces its food sources, plastic pollution, and diseases like avian flu, which have severely impacted some colonies recently.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Northern Gannet
What is the most spectacular behavior of the Northern Gannet?
The Northern Gannet is famous for its spectacular high-speed plunge dives. They can dive from heights of up to 100 feet (about 30 meters), folding their wings back to become arrow-shaped, and hitting the water at speeds of up to 60 mph (nearly 100 km/h) to catch fish below the surface.
How can you identify a Northern Gannet?
Adult Northern Gannets are large, bright white seabirds with long, pointed wings tipped in black. They have a yellowish or peachy-colored head, a strong, conical blue-grey bill, and pale blue eyes. Juveniles are mostly grayish-brown with white spots and take several years to acquire their full adult plumage.
Where do Northern Gannets live?
Northern Gannets are marine birds found on both sides of the North Atlantic. They breed in large, dense, and noisy colonies on coastal cliffs and rocky islands, such as Bonaventure Island in Canada or Bass Rock in Scotland. Outside the breeding season, they are pelagic, meaning they spend their time far out at sea.
What do Northern Gannets eat?
Their diet consists mainly of small, schooling fish that are rich in oil, such as mackerel, herring, capelin, and sandeels. They locate these fish from the air before performing their signature plunge dive to catch them.
Do Northern Gannets mate for life?
Yes, Northern Gannets are known for forming long-term monogamous pair bonds. The pairs often return to the same nest site year after year and engage in elaborate greeting rituals at the nest, such as fencing and bowing with their bills.
