The gannet is easily identified: a big, white bird with black wingtips and a yellow head. It can be spotted circling high above the waves before performing its characteristic fishing dive.

Behaviour

One of our largest seabirds, gannets feed on fish, which they catch by diving head-first into the sea, their wings folded right back. Diving from heights of 30m, they can hit the water at speeds of up to 60mph. They have an extensive network of air-sacs between their muscles and skin to help cushion this impact.

Size

Length: 87-100cm
Wingspan: 165-180cm
Weight: 2.4-3.6kg
Average lifespan: 17 years

Status

Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021).

Distribution

Nests on coastal cliffs around the north of the UK, sometimes in large colonies like those on some Scottish islands, and at sites in Wales, North East England and the Channel Islands.

When to see

January to August

Facts

220,000 pairs of gannets nest around our coasts – that’s 55% of the world’s gannet population. Bass Rock in Scotland is a famous nesting colony where masses of birds can be seen and, very definitely, heard!