Northern Gannet vs Resplendent Quetzal
Morus bassanus compared with Pharomachrus mocinno
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Gannet | Resplendent Quetzal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Morus bassanus | Pharomachrus mocinno |
| Order | Suliformes | Trogoniformes |
| Family | Sulidae | Trogonidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) | 50.0 cm (19.7 in) |
| Weight | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) | 210.0 g (7.41 oz) |
| Diet | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … | Primarily wild avocados and other laurel family fruits, supplemented with insects, lizards, and frogs. A … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Resplendent Quetzal
Montane cloud forests at elevations between 1,200 and 3,000 meters. Requires old-growth forest with dead trees for nesting cavities.
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.
Resplendent Quetzal
Melodious, repetitive cooing: a series of 'kowee-kowee-kowee' or 'woh-woh-woh-woh' phrases. Male sings from high exposed perches in cloud forest canopy. Evocative highland call.
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.
Resplendent Quetzal
Southern Mexico through Central America to western Panama. Resident in mountain cloud forests.
Conservation Status
Northern Gannet
Resplendent Quetzal
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
Resplendent Quetzal
Males have iridescent emerald-green upperparts, a crimson-red breast, and extraordinarily long green tail coverts streaming up to 65 cm beyond the tail. Females are duller with grey breasts.
Short, broad, bright yellow bill partially hidden by green feathers
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.
Resplendent Quetzal
The resplendent quetzal was considered divine by the Maya and Aztec civilizations, associated with the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Its iridescent green plumage and long tail streamers make it one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Guatemala's currency is named after this bird.