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Gannet Morus bassanus [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Pelecaniformes
Family:
Sulidae
BTO Codes:
GX , GANNE
EURING No:
710
Number in Britain:
219 thousand nests (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
View video clips from
IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
94 cm
Wingspan:
172 cm
Weight:
M/F: 3 kg
Scientific name from:
Gr.: moros =silly
and after Bass Rock, Scotland
World Distribution:
BREEDS: is of n Atlantic, RANGES n Atlantic, south to nw Africa and northwest to Baltic Sea
Habitat:
Pelagic, breeds on open islands and coastal cliffs
Diet:
Fish (up to 30cm), usually plunging from heights of 10-40m
TitBit:
Gannets dive for fish from a height 25m and may reach 100km/h when they plunge into the water; an extensive network of air-sacs between the muscles and skin cushions this impact
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
Atlas Maps
(Help with the New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
219 thousand nests
in 2003-04
 
First Record:
7th Century
Latest Survey:
Wanless et al. (2005) British Birds 98:280-294
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
300 to 310 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
BirdTrack
Seabird 2000 (warning: link to large pdf)
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
79 x 50 mm
Egg Weight:
106.0 g (of which 11 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
1
Clutch Size:
1 eggs
Incubation:
42 - 46 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
84 - 97 days
as:
-
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
1174
Adult Survival:
0.919
Juvenile Survival:
0.3 (to age 4 )
Age at First Breeding:
5
years
Typical Lifespan:
17
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
37yr4m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
K
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Other Names
Northern Gannet
Previously Sula bassana
Gaelic:
Sùlaire
Welsh:
Hugan
Danish:
Sule
Dutch:
Jan van Gent
Finnish:
Suula
French:
Fou de Bassan
German:
Baßtölpel
Hungarian:
Szula
Icelandic:
Súla
Irish:
Gainéad
Italian:
Sula
Norwegian:
Havsule
Polish:
Gluptak zwyczajny
Portuguese:
Ganso-patola-comum
Spanish:
Alcatraz
Swedish:
Havssula
Local Names: Solan Goose
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Nelson, B. 1997 BWP Update 1:131-143
Nelson, B. 2002 The Atlantic gannet Fenix Books, Great Yarmouth
[598.453 NEL]
Nelson, B. 1978 The gannet Poyser, Berkhamsted
[598.453 NEL]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus
BirdFacts home | BTO Home Email: birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.21, Jun 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
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