One of the largest seabirds of the North Atlantic, the Northern Gannet is spectacular as it fishes by plunging into the sea from a height of between ten and forty metres, helped by a very strong skull and air sacs under the skin of the breast.
The adults are white with black wingtips.
Juveniles are brown, covered in white spots and with white rump.
It takes four years for Northern Gannets to attain full adult plumage.
Northern Gannets breed in vast colonies on rocky coasts.

1st photo: An adult
2nd photo: A 3rd year
3rd photo: A 2nd year
4th photo: A 1st year

North Sea, Vrouwenpolder, The Netherlands, 9 October 2016