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A photo of a Cape Gannet (Morus capensis)
Cape Gannet

Cape Gannet

Morus capensis

The Cape gannet (Morus capensis) is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. They are easily identified by their large size, black and white plumage and distinctive yellow crown and hindneck. The pale blue bill is pointed with fine serrations near the tip; perhaps because of the depth and speed of the gannet's dive when fishing (depending on altitude, gannets hit the water at speeds of between 40 and 120 km/h (25 and 75 mph)), its beak has no external nostrils into which the water might be forced. The Cape gannet is identified from the Australasian gannet by the all-black tail, a longer black stripe down the throat (from underneath the beak) and more extensive black on the face, but all of these features are difficult to identify unless at close proximity. The Cape gannet is also very similar to the northern gannet, but the latter differs from its entirely white tail and its wings, which are only black at the tip. It also is similar to the blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii).
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Cape Gannets on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Chris Williams-Wynn
Chris Williams-Wynn
Monday 25 Sep 2023 - 11:11am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Aart Verrips
Aart Verrips
Monday 25 Sep 2023 - 7:42am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦅
Werner Coetzee
Sunday 24 Sep 2023 - 7:18am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Aart Verrips
Aart Verrips
Saturday 23 Sep 2023 - 8:37am
South Africa
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