Common Blackbird vs Northern Gannet
Turdus merula compared with Morus bassanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Blackbird | Northern Gannet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Turdus merula | Morus bassanus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Turdidae | Sulidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) |
| Wingspan | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) |
| Weight | 100.0 g (3.53 oz) | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) |
| Diet | Earthworms, insects, berries, and fruit. Forages on the ground, turning over leaf litter. Famously pulls … | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … |
| Clutch Size | 3-5 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Blackbird
Woodland, hedgerows, gardens, and parks. One of the most common garden birds across Europe.
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Blackbird
Arguably Britain's finest songster: rich, flute-like phrases with deep, mellow quality. Sings persistently at dusk. Alarm is a sharp 'chook-chook'. Song includes liquid 'pew' notes.
Northern Gannet
Loud, harsh 'urrah-urrah' grunting and croaking at breeding colonies on sea stacks. Also gives a softer 'karrr' in flight. Large colonies are extremely noisy during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Blackbird
Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Northern populations are migratory.
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Conservation Status
Common Blackbird
Northern Gannet
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Blackbird
Males are jet black with a bright yellow-orange bill and eye-ring. Females are dark brown with mottled underparts and a dull yellowish bill.
Bright yellow-orange bill in males, dull brownish in females
Northern Gannet
Brilliant white body with black wingtips and a golden-yellow wash on the head and nape. Blue-grey bill with dark lines and pale blue eye-ring.
Long, straight, pointed, pale blue-grey bill with serrated edges
About These Birds
Common Blackbird
The common blackbird is one of Europe's most familiar and best-loved songbirds, celebrated for its rich, fluting song delivered from rooftop and treetop perches at dawn and dusk. Originally a shy woodland bird, it has colonized urban environments over the past two centuries and become one of the most successful urban adapters.
Northern Gannet
The northern gannet is a spectacular plunge-diver, folding its two-meter wingspan into an arrow shape to hit the water at up to 100 km/h. Air sacs under the skin and a reinforced skull protect it from the impact. Bass Rock in Scotland hosts over 150,000 gannets, the largest single colony of any seabird in the world.