Northern gannets are large and fairly heavy sea birds, with a long beak and conspicuously marked webbed feet.

A klutz ashore, aerobatic artist on the sea

On land the gannet seems a little clumsy and awkward. Its landing, in particular, on the steep, jagged rocks breeding, such as at Helgoland, often looks reckless and painful. In the air, however, this goose-sized, snow-white sea bird is an elegant and acrobatic flight artist.

Gannets are also remarkable for their method of hunting which is shock diving. They dive from sometimes up to 40 metres like an arrow into the sea to catch silvery fish, such as herring or mackerel. Body and plumage are adapted to life on the water. The anatomical features of gannets include a streamlined body, long narrow wings, a delicately serrated beak and large webbed feet.

Only during breeding season do the birds come ashore, that is, on their rocky nest sites. The search for suitable nesting material today often leads to their downfall. If they – as so often – collect floating pieces of fishing nets, this can be a deadly trap. Both the adult birds and their chicks become entangled in the tear-resistant nylon netting and perish miserably. Dedicated bird conservationists also cannot help, because the steep and friable rock faces are difficult to climb, even for experienced mountaineers. Many dead birds end up hanging from Helgoland in Autumn as bright memorials on the rocks. A sad sight and an unnecessary fate that could be avoided if the fishing vessels would not throw their floats and net scraps overboard thoughtlessly as a hazard for marine wildlife.