Northern Gannet

• Largest seabird in the North Atlantic – 2 meter wingspan
• Long-lived – 20 – 30 years or older
• Monogamous with low divorce rate better stats than humans
• Only 3 gannet colonies in Newfoundland and only 6 in North America
• Other colonies in Iceland, Norway Ireland, UK and France
• Plunge dive from heights of up to 25 m at rapid-speeds to catch fish
• Feed on capelin, mackerel, herring, Atlantic saury and squid
• Collect plastic debris [fishing line, netting, rope] which can entangle birds at nests
• Lays a single white egg
• Chicks remain in the nest for more than 3 months
• Chicks load fat and at 12 – 13 weeks are heavier than parents
• At 12 – 13 weeks chicks refuse food and intensify wing-flapping
• In late Sept – Oct young fledge go to sea alone
• Parents remain at nest often courtship displaying and copulating
• Winter off eastern North American coast – Maine to Texas
• Small number winter migrate across the Atlantic to west African coast
• Each gannet returns to the same nest site in the spring