African Penguin vs Northern Gannet

Spheniscus demersus 对比 Morus bassanus

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

属性 African Penguin Northern Gannet
学名 Spheniscus demersus Morus bassanus
Sphenisciformes Suliformes
Spheniscidae Sulidae
保护状况 Endangered Least Concern
体长 60.0 cm (23.6 in) 93.0 cm (36.6 in)
翼展 42.0 cm (16.5 in) 180.0 cm (70.9 in)
体重 3100.0 g (109.35 oz) 3000.0 g (105.82 oz)
食性 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 …
产卵数 2 1
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
African Penguin 60.0 cm
Northern Gannet 93.0 cm
翼展
African Penguin 42.0 cm
Northern Gannet 180.0 cm
体重
African Penguin 3100.0 g
Northern Gannet 3000.0 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

共同栖息地

African Penguin only

Northern Gannet only

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

African Penguin

鸣唱

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

鸣唱

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

保护状况

Endangered

African Penguin

Least Concern

Northern Gannet

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

African Penguin

羽毛

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

羽毛

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 Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

African Penguin

非洲企鹅(学名Spheniscus demersus)是非洲大陆唯一原生的企鹅物种,又称公驴企鹅,因发出类似驴叫的叫声而得名。体重2-3千克,体长60-70厘米。濒危物种(IUCN红色名录),种群数量持续下降,主要受过度捕捞、石油污染和气候变化威胁。繁殖于南非和纳米比亚沿海岛屿。

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family