Northern Gannet
by Christopher Teague Photography
Morus bassanus
Locally abundant residents with 260,000 pairs in Britain, including 33,000 in Ireland.
They breed from January-October.
Also occurs from Germany to Iceland from March-August & winters at sea.
Adults are easy reconized birds with yellow head, pale blue bill, blue eye ring, white body & black wing tips.
They are pointed at all 4 corners.
Pointed tail, pointed head & pointed wing tips.
Juveniles are mainly dull & speckly white on the body.
2nd Years have mainly white head & black back.
By their 3rd & 4th year they look mainly adult, apart from a few black marks on the back.
Sub Adults only have very few dark lines on their backs.
The call is a harsh arrah-arrah or urrah-urrah at their breeding sites.