The Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) is an Australian bird that can be identified most reliably by combining shape, plumage, habitat and behaviour. A large white seabird with black-tipped wings, warm buff-yellow head and a long pointed bluish-grey bill. Adults are typically about 84–91 cm long, although sex, age and posture can affect how large an individual appears in the field.
How to identify a Australasian Gannet
A large white seabird with black-tipped wings, warm buff-yellow head and a long pointed bluish-grey bill. Start with the overall silhouette before focusing on colour. Check the bill, legs, tail, wing shape and any bold head or body pattern. Distance, shade and strong Australian sunlight can change the apparent colour of feathers, so several matching features are more useful than a single mark.
Patrols over the sea on long wings, then folds its wings and plunges head-first into the water after fish. Colonies can be noisy and densely packed. Behaviour can be one of the quickest ways to confirm an identification because closely related birds often feed, fly or perch differently even when their plumage looks similar.
Where is the Australasian Gannet found in Australia?
Southern Australian seas and coasts, especially around Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, with birds ranging widely offshore.
Typical habitat includes open ocean, coastal waters, bays and breeding colonies on islands or exposed headlands. Distribution can shift with rainfall, drought, breeding conditions, migration and local food supply, so an apparently unusual sighting should be checked against season as well as location.
What does the Australasian Gannet eat?
Fish and squid captured by spectacular plunge-dives from height. Watching exactly how a bird feeds can provide another useful clue. Note whether it walks, probes, dives, sweeps its bill, hunts from a perch or catches food in flight. Feeding technique often separates species that share the same habitat.
Wild birds do not need processed human food. Protecting natural habitat, clean water and native food plants is usually a better way to support them than regular feeding.
Behaviour and calls
Patrols over the sea on long wings, then folds its wings and plunges head-first into the water after fish. Colonies can be noisy and densely packed.
Harsh grunts, rattles and croaks, especially at breeding colonies. Voice is particularly useful when vegetation, distance or low light makes visual identification difficult. Try to notice the rhythm and tone as well as a written approximation of the sound.
Nesting and breeding
Breeds colonially on exposed islands and a small number of mainland sites, using compact ground nests in crowded colonies. Breeding timing varies around Australia according to latitude, rainfall and local conditions. If you find a nest or dependent young, observe from a respectful distance and avoid changing the adults’ normal approach route.
Similar birds
Australian Pelican is much larger with a huge pouch bill; boobies in northern waters are darker and have different wing and head patterns.
When two species remain difficult to separate, compare photographs against multiple field marks rather than choosing on colour alone. Geographic range, voice and habitat may be more decisive than one feather pattern.
Quick identification tip
Remember three things: its approximate size is 84–91 cm; its key visual clue is a large white seabird with black-tipped wings, warm buff-yellow head and a long pointed bluish-grey bill.; and a typical setting is open ocean, coastal waters, bays and breeding colonies on islands or exposed headlands. Matching all three gives a much stronger identification than any one clue by itself.
Best places and times to look
For a better chance of finding a Australasian Gannet, start with habitat rather than colour alone. In Australia this species is associated with open ocean, coastal waters, bays and breeding colonies on islands or exposed headlands. Early morning and late afternoon can be productive because birds are often feeding, moving between roosts and foraging areas, or calling more frequently. At wetlands, scan edges and exposed perches before walking closer; in open country, use binoculars to check distant birds before they move.
Sources and further reading
For additional Australian bird information and conservation guidance, see BirdLife Australia bird profiles and the Australian Museum bird collection. Image licensing and creator information for this page is recorded from the linked Wikimedia Commons file page.
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