The largest seabird of the North Atlantic, a striking white-and-gold plunge-diver that embodies the wild spirit of rugged coastlines and open ocean. It nests in dramatic colonies on rocky islands and sea cliffs in places like Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Canada, and the Faroe Islands, forming bustling communities where birds crowd together on narrow ledges and grassy slopes above roaring waves. When seen up close, Northern Gannets are unmistakable — brilliant white bodies, long tapered wings tipped in black, pale blue eyes set in black facial lines, and a softly golden wash on the head that glows in breeding season.
Built for life in a world of wind and water, the Northern gannet is one of nature’s most impressive divers. From heights often exceeding 30 meters (100 feet), it folds its wings tight and drops like a spear, hitting the water at high speed before powering deeper with strong wing strokes. Beneath the surface, it chases fish such as herring, mackerel, and sand eels, using its keen eyesight and streamlined body to pursue prey in brief underwater bursts. Specialized air sacs under the skin cushion impact, and reinforced neck and skull structures protect against the force of entry. These adaptations allow a bird that looks elegant and almost delicate in flight to become a precise, powerful hunter below the waves.
Northern gannets are highly social, particularly at breeding colonies, where they nest in dense clusters. Pairs form tight monogamous bonds and often reunite with the same partner year after year, greeting each other with gentle bill fencing and mutual preening rituals. A single egg is laid, and both parents share the work of incubation and chick rearing. Young gannets hatch with downy dark feathers, eventually growing into bulky, speckled juveniles. When it’s time to leave the nest, they make a dramatic plunge into the sea below and set off on their first long journey — many wintering off western Europe, the Mediterranean, or as far south as West Africa.
Distribution
Algeria
Austria
Bahamas
Belgium
Bermuda
Bulgaria
Canada
Cape Verde
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Gambia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Guinea-Bissau
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Kazakhstan
Latvia
Lebanon
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mauritania
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Russia
Saint Pierre
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Spain
Svalbard
Sweden
Syria
Tunisia
Turks & Caicos
Turkey
United Kingdom
United StatesAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
