Gannets are impressive seabirds notable for their powerful dives and striking white and yellow plumage. Living mostly at sea, they form large breeding colonies on cliffs and islands and play a crucial role in oceanic food chains.
Gannets
Gannets can dive at speeds of up to 100 km/h, plunging from heights of 30 meters to catch fish.
They have special air sacs under their skin that cushion impacts with water, preventing injuries.
Their eyes are positioned forward for binocular vision, helping them judge distances accurately when hunting.
They lack external nostrils; instead, their nostrils are inside their mouths to keep water out while diving.
They often forage in groups, diving simultaneously in coordinated “plunges” to trap fish more efficiently.
They build nests from seaweed and bird droppings, fiercely defending them with loud squawks.
They use their webbed feet, instead of brood patches, to warm their eggs during incubation.
First-year gannets are all black, gaining their iconic white plumage only as they mature.
Gannet chicks learn to fly by flapping their wings vigorously on cliff edges before their first flight.
After fledging, young gannets embark on perilous sea journeys, some flying over 2,700 km across oceans.
They display elaborate social behaviors including bill fencing and sky-pointing during courtship and territory defense.
Gannets’ feathers have oil from their preen gland to stay waterproof and buoyant in cold waters.
They cool down by exposing their webbed feet or excreting on them, a unique thermoregulation method.
Gannets’ vocalizations include harsh screeches for communication within noisy breeding colonies.
Despite their grace in air and water, gannets look clumsy when landing on land and can crash often.
