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Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Birds

Northern Gannet is a seabird, the largest species of the gannet family Sulidae and the largest seabird in the northern Atlantic, native to the coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean where it breeds in Western Europe and Northeastern North America. The adult has a mainly white streamlined body with a long neck and long, slender wings, measures 87 to 100 centimeters long with a wingspan of 170 to 180 centimeters, carries a buff-tinged head and nape more prominent in breeding season, dark brown-black wingtips, and a long, pointed blue-grey bill with black bare skin around the mouth and eyes; juveniles are mostly grey-brown, becoming increasingly white over the five years it takes them to reach maturity.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Piscivore 1
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 2
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Scientific Name
Morus bassanus 4
Conservation Status
Least Concern 4
Body Size Band
Large 7
Activity Pattern
Diurnal 7
Lifespan
37.4 8
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G5 Secure 5
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 6
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Suliformes, Taxa
Source Northern gannet (Wikidata)

In Biome

Grassland, Biomes
Source NatureServe Explorer: Morus bassanus
Neritic Zone, Biomes
Source NatureServe Explorer: Morus bassanus
Open Ocean, Biomes
Source NatureServe Explorer: Morus bassanus

In Ecosystem

Svalbard, Ecosystems
Source Northern gannet (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Algeria

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Belgium

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Brazil

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Cabo Verde

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Canada

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Cuba

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Denmark

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France

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Germany

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Greece

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Iceland

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Ireland

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Italy

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Mexico

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Morocco

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

North America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Norway

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Portugal

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Russia

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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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Spain

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Sweden

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United Kingdom

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United States

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Sources
1. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
  • Diet: Piscivore
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species API
  • System (Realm): Terrestrial
  • System (Realm): Marine
View the Source
3. Northern gannet (Wikipedia)
  • Lead section
    The northern gannet was previously hunted for food in certain parts of its range, and although that practice still continues in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and the Faroe Islands, the bird faces few other natural or man-made threats.
  • In Ecosystem: Svalbard, Lead
    Its breeding range has extended northward and eastward, with colonies being established on Russia's Kola Peninsula in 1995 and Bear Island (the southernmost island of Svalbard), in 2011.
View the Source
4. Northern gannet (Wikidata)
Wikidata
  • Wikidata Q26675 (P225 taxon name)
  • Wikidata P141 (IUCN conservation status) claim, entity QID Q26675
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Child Taxon Of: Suliformes, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Morus bassanus
NatureServe Explorer
  • Global rank (roundedGRank)
    "roundedGRank": "G5"
  • In Biome: Grassland, Species characteristics: Grassland/herbaceous
    "terrestrialHabitatDescEn": "Grassland/herbaceous"
  • In Biome: Open Ocean, Species characteristics: Pelagic
    "marineHabitatDescEn": "Pelagic"
  • In Biome: Neritic Zone, Species characteristics: Near shore
    "marineHabitatDescEn": "Near shore"
View the Source
6. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Morus bassanus (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
Quote, Conservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
View the Source
7. Ecological Society of America, Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014): EltonTraits 1.0 bird functional traits (BirdFuncDat)
Ecological Society of America, Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014)
  • Row: morus bassanus
    5054 Nonpasseriformes Suliformes Sulidae Gannets and boobies 31 BL3 Morus bassanus Northern Gannet 0 0 0 90 0 10 0 0 0 0 VertFishScav Ref_1 A Jennifer 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Ref_1 1 Jessica 0 2998.74 Dunning08 1
  • BirdFuncDat.txt row Morus bassanus, Nocturnal column
    Morus bassanus Northern Gannet 0 0 0 90 0 10 0 0 0 0 VertFishScav Ref_1 A Jennifer 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Ref_1 1 Jessica 0
View the Source
8. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of Liverpool: AnAge entry for Morus bassanus
Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of LiverpoolLifespan, ageing, and relevant traits
Quote, Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits
Maximum longevity 37.4 years (wild)
View the Source
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