Northern Gannet Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A nearly albatross-sized, heavy-bodied seabird, with long, pointed wings, tail, and bill.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Great Black-backed Gull, smaller than a Brown Pelican.

  goose-sized or larger

  Measurements

  • Male
  • • Length: 36.8-43.3 in (93.5-110 cm)
    • Weight: 87.1-122.4 oz (2470-3470 g)
    • Wingspan: 70.9-72.4 in (180-184 cm)
  • Female
  • • Length: 36.4-40.9 in (92.5-104 cm)
    • Weight: 90.7-127.3 oz (2570-3610 g)

• Color Pattern

  Adults are snow white with black wingtips and yellow heads; juveniles are uniformly sooty brown; and subadults are intermediate between these plumages, often appearing a patchwork of dark and light feathering.

• Behavior

  Northern Gannets fly with deep, slow wingbeats as they search for fish, then dive straight down in spectacular plunges, sometimes alone, sometimes in very large flocks. They nest on oceanside cliffs, the only time they set feet on dry land.

• Habitat

  Open oceans and occasionally in large bays. Nests on cliffs in Atlantic Canada, Iceland, and Europe.