There are three "Morus" gannets, all similar but widely separated. They are larger than Boobies, Northern being the largest Sulid.
Large colonies occur on coasts and islands of the north Atlantic, of which Bass Rock is the largest whence, the species name "bassanus". Despite recent setbacks due to bird flu, overall
it is expanding its range, and colonies now occur in Russia and Svalbard. Cliff nesting is the norm, aiding plunge-diving for fish, the main prey, and apart from a little sustainable
hunting (Outer Hebrides and Faroe Islands) it has few threats.
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