Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Northern Gannets are members of the booby family (Sulidae) and are commonly found along the NC Outer Banks in the winter.
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Adults show black around the face, dull yellowish wash in the head, and clean white plumage with crisp black primary feathers.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

This subadult still has mottled black feathers in the tail and underwing.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
21 Feb 2009

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Northern Gannet

Off Hatteras, NC, 5 March 2006
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Northern Gannets have to take a few steps on top of the water to get airborne.

Off Hatteras, NC, 5 March 2006
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Off Hatteras, NC, 5 March 2006
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Adult Nothern Gannets are usually seen as distant white birds offshore with black wingtips and whose overall shape is long and pointed at all 4 tips.

Dare Co., NC, 4 March 2006
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Adult on left, immature on right.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

One dark immature gannet in the middle of a flock of adults.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Subadult with black secondaries.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
18 Feb 2012

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
20 Feb 2010

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
20 Feb 2010

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
20 Feb 2010

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
20 Feb 2010

Large flock of gannets plunge diving on a school of fish.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Off Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
20 Feb 2010

Virtually all of those white spots are gannets.


Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
23 Feb 2014

It's raining gannets!

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Cape Hatteras, Dare Co., NC
23 Feb 2014

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Created on ... March 11, 2006 | Updated on ... March 11, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com