Northern Gannet Portrait Sky Pointing

by Marlin and Laura Hum

Title

Northern Gannet Portrait Sky Pointing

Artist

Marlin and Laura Hum

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This Northern gannet is part of the colony in Parc national de l'île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé in Gaspé, Quebec, Canada. It is raising its head and bill in the air, known as sky-pointing. This is one of the gannet courtship rituals. This colony on the coast of Bonaventure Island is one of six Northern Gannet colonies in North America.
"Nearly as large as an albatross, the Northern Gannet is sharp in every respect, with a heavy, sharp bill, pointed tail, and long slender wings. Adults are snowy white with black wingtips and a crown washed with gold.
Northern Gannets are monogamous and mate for life, very much like albatrosses. Pairs form, and renew their bonds, at the breeding colony, called a gannetry, which may contain thousands of pairs in close proximity to each other. Young birds also return to the colony in their second or third year, forming “clubs” of birds that rest together and begin to learn the local fishing routes. Males begin to claim a breeding site in a colony in their third or fourth year, shaking their head side to side frequently, biting the nest site itself, and stretching the neck toward females that show interest. Clashes between males over nest sites can be intense, with bills locked and much pushing at the cliff edge; injuries are not uncommon. Once partnered, male and female greet each other at the nest site each time they reunite, the males shaking the head, the females offering the nape for the male to nibble. They also engage in so-called “mutual fencing,” wherein they face each other, often touching, calling, shaking heads side to side as their bills clack together, bowing, and finally preening each other’s neck. Both parents care for and feed the young, taking turns on fishing excursions that may last several days. Both sexes defend the nest and chicks aggressively against other gannets, using threat displays such as jabbing with the bill. After breeding, they forage off Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence before migrating southward. They spend the nonbreeding months at sea, or in large water bodies such as marine bays. They are usually in sizable flocks executing swift, spectacular dives to capture schooling fish." (www.allaboutbirds.org)
This gannet photo was featured in the following Fine Art America groups:
Canada 08/16/2019
A Birding Group-Wings 08/17/2019
Birds in Focus 08/17/2019
Animals 08/17/2019
Wildlife One a Day 08/18/2019
Art District 08/18/2019
FAA Portraits-Birds 08/19/2019
Wild Birds of the World 08/19/2019
Music CD Cover Desings 08/25/2019
Coastal Water Birds-Shore Birds 09/02/2019
Vertical Images 07/05/2020
Group Admin’s Pick from the Go Take a Hike Photography Group 10/17/2020
10 Plus 07/14/2023
Canadian Photographs 07/14/2023
The Art Workshop 07/15/2023
Greatest of all time 07/15/2023
Fine Art Exploration Photography 07/15/2023
Art for Passion-Passion for Art 07/15/2023
The Art Network 07/15/2023
Your Story of Art 07/1652023
Four Seasons 07/16/2023
Red Maple gallery 07/18/2023
Hodge Podge 07/19/2023
All Genre of Photography 07/21/2023
Your Very best Photography 07/21/2023
Pretty in Pink Blue or Purple 07/30/2023
Mind-Blowing Photography 08/15/2023

Uploaded

August 16th, 2019

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