African Penguin vs Northern Gannet
Spheniscus demersus comparé à Morus bassanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | African Penguin | Northern Gannet |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Spheniscus demersus | Morus bassanus |
| Ordre | Sphenisciformes | Suliformes |
| Famille | Spheniscidae | Sulidae |
| Statut de conservation | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 60,0 cm (23.6 in) | 93,0 cm (36.6 in) |
| Envergure | 42,0 cm (16.5 in) | 180,0 cm (70.9 in) |
| Poids | 3100,0 g (109.35 oz) | 3000,0 g (105.82 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small schooling fish, especially sardines and anchovies. Forages within 40 km of the colony, diving … | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
African Penguin
Rocky coastlines and offshore islands of southern Africa. Nests in burrows, under boulders, or in surface scrapes.
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Song & Call Comparison
African Penguin
A loud, donkey-like braying 'waaah-waaah' — hence its nickname 'jackass penguin'. Also gives softer grunts and contact calls at the colony. Highly vocal on breeding beaches.
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
African Penguin
Coastal southwestern Africa from Namibia to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The only penguin species breeding in Africa.
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Statut de conservation
African Penguin
Northern Gannet
How to Tell Them Apart
African Penguin
Black upperparts and white underparts with a distinctive black horseshoe-shaped band across the breast. Pink patches of bare skin above the eyes help with thermoregulation.
Sturdy, pointed, black bill with a grey band near the tip
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
African Penguin
The African penguin is the only penguin species native to the African continent, also called the jackass penguin for its donkey-like braying call. Their population has plummeted over 95% since pre-industrial times due to egg collection, oil spills, and competition with commercial fisheries for sardine and anchovy stocks.
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.