How are their eyes placed?

Facing forward for judging distance

Northern Gannet Quiz: Plunge Diving and Bass Rock Colonies

This northern gannet quiz watches the North Atlantic's biggest seabird fold its wings and plunge. Play 10 interactive questions on dives from about 30 m, speeds near 85 km/h, air sacs that cushion impact, no external nostrils, eyes facing forward, a wingspan near 1.8 m, Bass Rock in Scotland turned white by birds and the bird flu outbreak of 2022.

Start Northern Gannet Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Ocean
Which ocean do northern gannets live in?
Size
What size record does the gannet hold?
Dive
How do gannets catch fish?
Height
From about how high can they dive?
Speed
About how fast can they hit the water?
Cushion
What helps cushion the impact?
Nose
What do gannets lack to keep water out?
Eyes
How are their eyes placed?
Rock
Which Scottish island hosts the largest colony?
Flu
What hit gannet colonies hard in 2022?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which ocean do northern gannets live in?
Answer: The North Atlantic
They nest on cliffs and islands.
Q2: What size record does the gannet hold?
Answer: Largest seabird of the North Atlantic
Its wingspan is about 1.8 m.
Q3: How do gannets catch fish?
Answer: Plunge diving from high up
They fold their wings back.
Q4: From about how high can they dive?
Answer: About 30 m
They hit the water fast.
Q5: About how fast can they hit the water?
Answer: Around 85 km/h
Their bodies are streamlined.
Q6: What helps cushion the impact?
Answer: Air sacs under the skin
They act like bubble wrap.
Q7: What do gannets lack to keep water out?
Answer: External nostrils
They breathe through the mouth edges.
Q8: How are their eyes placed?
Answer: Facing forward for judging distance
This helps aim dives.
Q9: Which Scottish island hosts the largest colony?
Answer: Bass Rock
Birds turn it white.
Q10: What hit gannet colonies hard in 2022?
Answer: Bird flu
Many birds died.

Diving Arrows of the Atlantic

The northern gannet is the largest seabird of the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of about 1.8 m. It catches fish by plunge diving, folding its wings back and dropping from about 30 m, hitting the water at around 85 km/h.

Air sacs under the skin cushion the impact, and gannets lack external nostrils, keeping water out. Their eyes face forward, helping them judge distance when aiming at fish.

Bass Rock in Scotland hosts the largest northern gannet colony, so many birds nest there that the rock turns white. In 2022 bird flu struck gannet colonies hard, killing many birds, and scientists are watching their recovery. Young gannets spend several years at sea before returning to breed, so colonies recover slowly after heavy losses.

What This Quiz Teaches

Bird fans will enjoy these questions.

How big gannets are
How they dive
How their bodies cope
Where they nest
What threatened them

Did You Know?

Young gannets are dark brown.
Pairs greet with bill fencing.
Colonies are noisy and smelly.
Gannets follow fishing boats.
Adults have pale blue eyes.