Birds of Ireland: Gannet

Gannets are our largest seabird with a wing span of 170-180cm — and they're unmistakable with their brilliant white plumage and long wings with black wing tips

A nesting gannet and its young. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Birds of Ireland: Gannet [Gainéad / Ogastún | Morus bassanus]

A gannet is about 92-96 centimetres long with a wing span of 170-180cm. They are found here in spring, summer and autumn at sea and near coasts.

Gannets are our largest seabird. You'll see them doing plunge-dives from height with sweptback wings when they're hunting.

Adult gannets are unmistakeable with brilliant white plumage and long wings with black wing tips. They have a pointed tail and a large, conical beak — and a yellow head though this colouring is not always noticeable at a distance.

Gannet (Northern Gannet)

Juvenile or immature gannets are dark brown with pale spots and streaks, gradually becoming white as they reach adulthood which usually takes four to six years.

In flight, when not feeding, gannets often fly in V-formation or in single file just above the waves. They glide and soar in strong wind.

At the breeding colony a gannet's vice is a rapidly repeated, gutteral dirraaw-dirraaw-dirraaw, varying slightly in pitch, forming a continuous chorus.

Tip of the Week

When picking out binoculars, don't go for the biggest, most powerful ones as they can be very heavy, so they will be difficult to keep steady and will be tiring to hold up for more than a few minutes.

If you wear glasses make sure the binoculars have what is called good 'eye relief'. This is the distance from the surface of the eyepiece to the observer's eye that allows the observer to see the complete field of view. The longer the eye relief the better, allowing an observer with glasses to use binoculars without having to remove their glasses.

• Featured in Birds of Ireland: A field guide by Jim Wilson with photographs by Mark Carmody

Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, broadcaster, tour leader, and former chairman of BirdWatch Ireland. He has been involved in the study and conservation of birds in Ireland for more than 45 years, contributing to several major surveys and international projects.

Mark Carmody is an award-winning wildlife photographer, has a PhD in biochemistry and works as a European patent attorney.