Northern Gannet vs Peregrine Falcon
Morus bassanus compared with Falco peregrinus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Gannet | Peregrine Falcon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Morus bassanus | Falco peregrinus |
| Order | Suliformes | Falconiformes |
| Family | Sulidae | Falconidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) | 43.0 cm (16.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) | 104.0 cm (40.9 in) |
| Weight | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … | Almost exclusively medium-sized birds caught in flight, including pigeons, doves, waterfowl, and songbirds. Hunts with … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Northern Gannet only
None
Peregrine Falcon only
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Peregrine Falcon
Diverse habitats from tundra to tropics, typically near cliffs or tall structures. Increasingly found in cities nesting on skyscrapers and bridges.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Peregrine Falcon
A harsh, wailing 'kak-kak-kak-kak' repeated rapidly in defense of the nest. Alarm call is a long screaming 'raaak'. Mostly silent away from breeding sites.
Geographic Range & Migration
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Peregrine Falcon
One of the most widespread birds, found on every continent except Antarctica. Migratory populations travel vast distances between breeding and wintering grounds.
Conservation Status
Northern Gannet
Peregrine Falcon
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Peregrine Falcon
Blue-grey upperparts with barred white underparts. A distinctive black moustachial stripe contrasts with the white throat and cheeks.
Short, notched blue-grey bill with a yellow cere
About These Birds
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.
Peregrine Falcon
The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth, reaching speeds over 389 km/h during its characteristic hunting stoop. Like the bald eagle, peregrines suffered dramatic declines from DDT but have recovered through intensive conservation programs. They have adapted remarkably well to urban environments.