Helgoland is a hotspot for bird watching. The island is actually one of the most important breeding areas for a wide variety of sea birds.
On today's walk around the island I was able to get in close contact with hundreds of gannet couples (in Swedish: havssula). They quickly became my favourites because of their size. It is the biggest sea bird in the North Atlantic region. A gannet can be 87-100 cm long with a wing span of 170-180 cm (67-71 in). Around 400 gannet couples call Helgoland home.
Gannet juveniles are mostly grey-brown, becoming increasingly white in the five years it takes them to reach maturity.
Gannet colonies are mostly located on offshore islands, such as Helgoland, with cliffs from which they can easily launch into the air. Gannets hunts for fish, that forms the bulk of their diet, by making high-speed dives into the sea.
Thank you for series of very interesting reports about Helgoland. You are like their private ambassador.
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