Northern Gannet by Avery Whitlock
Northern Gannet by Avery Whitlock
Sulidae is a global family of seagoing, fish-eating bird species known as gannets and boobies. Gannets are temperate-zone species whereas boobies prefer warmer tropical waters. All sulids resemble avian javelins. They all make a living by plunging into the sea—headfirst, wings closed—like an avian bomb. Once submerged, they go fishing. The largest member of the Sulidae, the Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) graces the cover of this issue. Almost as large as a Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), but different in proportions, gannets are sleek, about 37 inches long with a wingspread of about 72 inches. A gannet weighs nearly seven pounds. Typical Canada Geese weigh considerably more, up to 12 to 14 pounds.
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