Species: Morus serrator

Bundjalung name: Unknown
Status: Least Concern

Characteristics

• Length/size: 90 cm long, wingspan up to 200cm. 

• Colour: Yellow head and pale grey bill, most of the body is white with dark tips on feathers.

• Breeding/reproduction: Breed in dense colonies on islands off Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand. Breeding season is in October and November. Usually one chick. Incubation period of 44 days. Breeding maturity is reached at age 6 or 7 years. Can live up to 40 years. 

• Diet: Dive into the water to grasp fish with small backward pointing serrations on bill. Stays underwater for 10 seconds usually eating the fish before surfacing

Habitat: Found in southern and eastern Australia along waters over the continental shelf.  Over May and June young birds migrate north to warmer seas in Southern Queensland and New South Wales.

Threats: Climate change causes sea level temperature rise and diminishing fish stocks is forcing gannets further out to sea and longer time away from nests. Gannets plunge-dive and pursue prey underwater therefore increasing their chances of entanglement by discarded fishing gear and plastic.  Marine debris such as rope manufactured from plastic has been found incorporated into nest building increasing chances of chicks becoming entangled.