Gannet Goose
A Few Fact About The Gannet Goose
The gannet goose is a large seabird found throughout the north Atlantic and also in the oceans around Australia. In the Atlantic, the gannet's range is from The Hebrides and Faeroe Islands near Scotland, to the maritime provinces of Canada and south to the New England states.
The gannet goose is typically about 3 feet in length, with a wingspan of between 5 and 6 feet, and has bright white plumage. It is noted for its hunting methods, in which it dives at high speed into the water to catch fish, often herring or mackerel, which are near the surface. When diving for food, the gannet goose has been likened to a "fire-white streak", hitting the surface at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. Graceful in flight, the gannet is rather awkward and clumsy on land, particularly when attempting to take off or land.
The gannet goose breeds on land, but spends most of its time at sea. During the coldest part of the year the geese generally head to more southern parts of the Atlantic, and are often seen in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean areas. They will stay at sea until breeding time comes, when they return to the north Atlantic. The birds breed in large colonies, on cliffs or rocks overlooking the ocean. Approximately 2/3 of the population breed in the area surrounding the British Isles.
While breeding, a gannet pair can be extremely aggressive and protective of their nesting site. A mating pair may use the same nest for several years. On the other hand, when at sea, the gannets seemingly pay little attention to one another, even when they may congregate in large numbers at a particular feeding ground. Gannets do not always mate for life, but it is common for the same pair to mate and maintain the same nest for several years. They are known to display a rather intricate greeting ritual at the beginning of each breeding season.
The female lays a single egg, and incubation duties are shared by both the male and the female. Incubation takes 43 days, and the newly hatched chick is fed by both parents. When they are 3 1/2 months old, the chicks actually weigh more than either of their parents, but cannot yet fly. Once they begin to fly, the chicks will take off and be away for several years, before returning to the breeding grounds.
The gannet goose is a protected species in most of the world. At one time it was eaten, and still is in one locality on the British Isles, where restrictions on killing the bird are lifted for a short time each year in honor of an ancient festival. The taste has been described both as "delicious and not fishy" to "fishy". The gannet goose is known by several other names. There is a connection between the word gannet and the modern English word "gander", and the equivalent in German, "gans". The gannet goose is called the Solan Goose in some places of the world.