Northern Gannet vs Superb Fairywren
Morus bassanus compared with Malurus cyaneus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Gannet | Superb Fairywren |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Morus bassanus | Malurus cyaneus |
| Order | Suliformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Sulidae | Maluridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) | 14.0 cm (5.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Weight | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) | 10.0 g (0.35 oz) |
| Diet | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … | Primarily insects and other small invertebrates gleaned from low vegetation. Also takes seeds and small … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Superb Fairywren
Dense undergrowth in eucalyptus woodland, gardens, parks, and heath throughout southeastern Australia.
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.
Superb Fairywren
An extremely complex, melodic song: a long series of trills and warbles delivered rapidly. Males sing throughout the day. Alarm is a sharp 'tseet'. Among Australia's finest singers.
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.
Superb Fairywren
Southeastern Australia from Queensland through New South Wales, Victoria, to South Australia and Tasmania.
Conservation Status
Northern Gannet
Superb Fairywren
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
Superb Fairywren
Breeding males have a brilliant violet-blue crown, ear coverts, and mantle with a black throat band. Non-breeding males and females are plain brown with a blue tail.
Fine, pointed, dark bill
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.
Superb Fairywren
The superb fairywren is one of Australia's most beloved and recognizable birds, with breeding males dressed in spectacular violet-blue plumage. These tiny birds live in cooperative family groups where helpers assist the breeding pair in raising young. Males pluck and present yellow flower petals to females as part of courtship.