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Birds › Sea cliffs › Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet

Morus bassanus

Dives into the sea from up to 30 m (100 ft) high. Air sacs under its skin cushion the hit.

Where to see it for real: Watch from coastal headlands as flocks plunge-dive after fish.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Sea cliffs habitat (North Atlantic coast, in summer).

Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus
Photo: Zac Peterson, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist. Cut out from the original photo.

Northern Gannet facts

Family
Gannets and boobies
Length
37 in (94 cm)
Wingspan
69 in (175 cm)
Weight
6.6 lb (3 kg)
Diet
Fish such as mackerel and herring, caught by plunge-diving.
Range
The North Atlantic, nesting in Canada, Iceland, Britain and Norway; winters south to West Africa and the Gulf of Mexico.
Nest
A mound of seaweed, grass and mud, packed close to its neighbors.
Song
A harsh "arrah-arrah" at the colony.
Active
by day
Status
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Northern Gannet sounds like

Recording 1: Stein Ø. Nilsen, CC BY 4.0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.
Recording 2: Sonothèque ADVL, CC0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

More: bird songs and calls.

More birds of the sea cliffs

Atlantic PuffinAtlantic PuffinSea cliffsRazorbillRazorbillSea cliffsCommon MurreCommon MurreSea cliffsBlack-legged KittiwakeBlack-legged KittiwakeSea cliffsNorthern FulmarNorthern FulmarSea cliffsCommon EiderCommon EiderSea cliffs

Spot the Northern Gannet yourself

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