Northern Gannet

Morus bassanus ORDER: SULIFORMES FAMILY: SULIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

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© Mary Tremaine / CLO

Breeding in only a few large colonies along the North Atlantic, the Northern Gannet spends most of its life at sea. Flocks engage in spectacular bouts of plunge-diving for fish, with hundreds of birds diving into the ocean from heights of up to 40 meters (130 feet).