Excellent trophy fishing or how the northern gannet gets food

A marine relative of the pelicans, the gannet, which today comprises several species, clearly lays claim to the title of the world's best fisherman. For many northern birds, fishing is their sole means of subsistence.

We previously described how Asians fish with the help of cormorants, another member of the pelecaniformes family. Today, we'll explore another very interesting avian fisherman, capable of catching huge trophies of various fish.

The bird's appearance

The northern gannet is considered the most widespread and has the largest population today. Individuals look like this:

• Representatives of this species are among the largest of their family. The birds are approximately the same length as the geese offered for shooting on trophy tours on the Putorana Plateau. They reach a height of up to 1 meter.
• The weight of northern gannets can vary between 2.3 and 3.6 kg.
• The wingspan is about 180 cm.
• The bird's body is covered in bright white plumage. The wingtips may have feathers of black or other dark brown colors.
• The head and neck are creamy yellow, and the eyes, set toward the front of the muzzle, are rounded by featherless, bluish skin. The chin and lores are black.
• The predator's toothy mouth is hidden by a grey-blue beak, slightly curved at the end.

Juveniles look different after a few years. Until age 5, northern gannets have dark, brown plumage, which turns white as they mature.

Characteristics of the Northern Gannet

A relative of the pelican and cormorant, northern gannets have excellent vision, capable of not only spotting schools of fish but also accurately calculating their depth. Northern gannets thrive in the water than on land. On land, these birds walk like clumsy ducks, so they spend most of their lives above water, searching for food.

Birds are capable of covering enormous distances in flight. They can hunt far out at sea or in the ocean. They are excellent swimmers. Gannets can be seen simply sitting on the water, drifting in one direction or another. They forage for food in huge flocks, sometimes numbering several thousand birds.

How do these birds fish?

Northern gannets' diet includes more than just fish. While hunting, they enjoy anchovies and other herring relatives, as well as various cephalopods, such as squid. They begin searching for food early in the morning or late in the evening.

These avian predators have an extraordinary fishing and hunting ability. Spotting a shoal of fish, the gannet simply folds its wings and dives into the water like a professional diver.

Interestingly, they don't grab their prey immediately after diving, but rather when they begin to rise to the surface. Individuals may accompany whales and dolphins that herd schools of fish. Northern gannets are easily able to snatch prey that leap out of the water, trying to escape predators.

Instead of an epilogue

In terms of the number of herring caught in a single fishing trip, northern gannets can rival the world's best fishermen. They can confidently rival the tame cormorants that have helped East Asian fishermen secure their food for centuries.

However, when compared to the trophies offered by fishing trips on the Putorana Plateau, the birds of prey are significantly inferior. In the reservoirs of the taiga reserve, you can catch taimen and other members of the noble salmon family. And if you take a spring goose tour, you can combine two of your favorite hobbies: hunting and fishing.