Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) is in the Boobies and Gannets family (Sulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 4,695 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in November.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Northern Gannet: observations by month (U.S.)

About Northern Gannet

The northern gannet (Morus bassanus) is a seabird and the largest member of the gannet family, Sulidae. "Gannet" is derived from Old English ganot "strong or masculine", ultimately from the same Old Germanic root as "gander". Morus is derived from Ancient Greek moros, "foolish" due to the lack of fear shown by breeding gannets and boobies allowing them to be easily killed. The specific bassanus is from the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, which...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Northern Gannet by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Boobies and Gannets)

Red-footed BoobySula sula

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ