Gannet

Gannet, common name for three species of seabirds, particularly the northern gannet. Adults have a pure white body, black wingtips, a yellow-tinged head and neck, and webbed feet. Juveniles are dark brown, speckled with white. The wingspan is about 2 m (6 ft), and the body length about 89 cm (35 in). The gannet is a powerful flyer, and catches fish and squid by plunging into the water, often from 30 m (100 ft) above the surface. Its note is a deep, prolonged croak. Gannets breed in colonies on cliffs and rocks; the female lays one egg, which is usually pale greenish-blue flaked with chalky white. The northern gannet is seen in the northern Atlantic Ocean and is abundant in the Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada, and in Firth of Forth, Scotland. In the winter, it has been seen off the east coast of the United States as far south as Florida.

Scientific classification: Gannets make up the genus Morus of the family Sulidae, order Pelecaniformes. The northern gannet is classified as Morus bassanus.