The northern gannet is a seabird, the largest species of the gannet family, Sulidae. It is native to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, breeding in Western Europe and Northeastern North America. It is the largest seabird in the northern Atlantic. The sexes are similar in appearance. The adult northern gannet has a mainly white streamlined body with a long neck, and long and slender wings. It is 87–100 cm long with a 170–180 cm (67–71 in) wingspan. The head and nape have a buff tinge that is more prominent in breeding season, and the wings are edged with dark brown-black feathers. The long, pointed bill is blue-grey, contrasting with black, bare skin around the mouth and eyes. Juveniles are mostly grey-brown, becoming increasingly white in the five years it takes them to reach maturity.
Northern gannet
juvenile
juvenile
immature
Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus Morus in the family Sulidae, closely related to boobies.
Gannet
Nesting gannets (Morus serrator) at the Cape Kidnappers colony in New Zealand
A northern gannet in Bonaventure Island's colony
Gannet, Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire