Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Australasian Gannet
Morus serrator
Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Australia & Oceania.
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The Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) is a member of the Sulidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 2.4 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Sulidae Gannets, Boobies
- Genus Morus
- Species serrator
Where it lives
Islets off southwestern Australia, Bass Strait and Tasmania, Philip I. (Norfolk group, east of Australia) and North and South Is. (New Zealand)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.4 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Sulidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Australasian Gannet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Australasian Gannet is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) is a species of bird in the Sulidae family, part of the order Suliformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU islets off sw Australia, Bass Strait and Tasmania, Philip I. (Norfolk group, e of Australia) and North and South Is. (New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.4 kg, with a wing length of about 46.1 cm and a tail of around 20.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 10,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Australasian Gannet?
The Australasian Gannet is a very large bird that weighs around 2.4 kg.
Where does the Australasian Gannet live?
The Australasian Gannet is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU islets off sw Australia, Bass Strait and Tasmania, Philip I. (Norfolk group, e of Australia) and North and South Is. (New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Australasian Gannet belong to?
The Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) belongs to the Sulidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Australasian Gannet eat?
The Australasian Gannet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Australasian Gannet migrate?
The Australasian Gannet is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Australasian Gannet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Australasian Gannet's range?
The Australasian Gannet has a mapped global range of about 10,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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