There are a few different types of white sea birds that are known for their diving abilities. Based on the question, it seems you are interested in learning more about which specific white sea bird is a powerful diver. The most likely candidates are gannets, boobies, petrels and shearwaters. These seabirds have evolved for plunge diving and swim underwater propelled by their wings to catch fish. Let’s explore each of these diving birds in more detail to determine which one best fits the description of the white sea bird that dives.
Gannets
Gannets are large seabirds with mostly white plumage and long pointed wings. They have a wingspan of up to 2 meters and weigh around 2-3 kg. Gannets are found across the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. They nest colonially on cliffs and remote islands. Gannets are powerful divers, plunging into the ocean at speeds up to 100 km/hr to catch fish and squid. Their air sacs cushion the impact as they hit the water. Gannets have excellent underwater vision and propel themselves with their wings while pursuing prey. Their plunge diving ability makes gannets well-suited to catch fish that swim in large shoals near the water’s surface.
Northern Gannet
The Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) is the largest gannet species and the one most commonly seen plunge diving. Adults are bright white with black wingtips. Their face and throat are light yellow. Northern gannets breed in large colonies on cliffs and offshore islands in the North Atlantic. Significant populations breed around Iceland, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and Eastern Canada. Northern gannets migrate south for the winter but usually stay within range of continental shelves where fish are abundant.
Boobies
Boobies are a genus of seabirds in the same family as gannets. There are six species of boobies found across tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Like gannets, boobies are accomplished divers, plunging from heights of 10-30 meters to catch fish near the ocean surface. Their plumage is predominantly white below and brown above, with some blue or red facial markings depending on species. The blue-footed booby is a commonly seen species known for its bright blue feet. Due to their specialized diving technique, boobies are masters at catching fish that school near the surface, such as sardines, anchovies and flying fish. Their aerodynamic body shape and accurate plunging skills make them effective underwater hunters.
Blue-footed Booby
The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) displays the classic plunge-diving behavior of the booby family. They breed colonially on islands off the Pacific coast of Central and South America. As their name suggests, adults have distinctive bright blue feet. Their plumage is mostly white below and brown above, with a pale blue bill and facial mask. Blue-footed boobies fly high over the ocean and when they spot a fish shoal they fold their wings back and dive steeply head-first into the water at 60-100 km/hr. Their streamlined shape and aerial maneuvering skills enable them to plunge accurately onto agile prey like flying fish.
Petrels
Petrels comprise a large family of mostly pelagic seabirds. There are around 30-40 species of petrels that range across all the world’s oceans. Most petrels have grey, black and white plumage. The larger petrel species feed on fish, squid and crustaceans by surface diving, plunging and paddling underwater with their wings. Like albatrosses, they use their sense of smell to locate food. Petrels are wide-ranging seabirds that often follow ships and trawlers to feed on scraps and waste discarded overboard.
White-chinned Petrel
The White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) is a fairly large petrel species common in the Southern Hemisphere oceans and known for its diving skills. As their name indicates, adults have a prominent white chin and throat that contrasts with grey upperparts and black cap and wings. White-chinned petrels feed on fish, squid and krill. They catch prey by folding their wings back and plunge-diving from heights of up to 10 meters. Their sturdy bill enables them to grip slippery prey. They also use their feet and wings to paddle underwater in pursuit of food.
Shearwaters
Shearwaters are medium-large seabirds in the Procellariidae family along with petrels. There are more than 30 species found across the world’s oceans. Shearwaters come to islands and coastal cliffs to breed in burrows and nests. They feed on fish, squid, crustaceans and organic matter by diving from the surface and pursuing prey underwater. Shearwaters are powerful, agile fliers and use this maneuverability for plunge diving. They hit the water at speeds up to 110 km/hr and can dive to over 70 meters depth.
Sooty Shearwater
The Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea) is among the deepest diving of the shearwaters. True to their name, Sooty Shearwaters have dark grey-black plumage all over. They breed on islands in the Southern Hemisphere, including New Zealand, Chile, Australia and Argentina. Sooty Shearwaters migrate northwards in the Northern Hemisphere summer. These long-distance travelers cover around 64,000 km annually in search of fish, squid and krill. Sooty Shearwaters plunge-dive from heights of 10 meters or more to catch prey. They are capable of diving down to 70+ meters in pursuit of food.
Summary
In summary, there are four main types of white seabirds known for their diving abilities: gannets, boobies, petrels and shearwaters. All of these seabirds are adept at plunge diving to catch fish and other prey. Of these diving experts, gannets and boobies are the most specialized for plunge diving due to anatomical adaptations like air sacs and streamlined body shapes.
The Northern Gannet stands out as the quintessential white diving seabird of the North Atlantic Ocean. With its bright white adult plumage, large size (wingspan up to 2 m), and ability to hit the water at 100 km/hr from 30 m heights, the Northern Gannet is perfectly equipped to plunge down and catch agile fish like mackerel, herring and capelin.
So in conclusion, the white sea bird best known for its plunge diving and underwater swimming abilities to catch fish is the Northern Gannet. When people see a bright white seabird plummeting from the sky into the North Atlantic, it is almost certainly a Northern Gannet demonstrating its supreme diving skills honed over many millennia of evolution.
Northern Gannet Facts
- Species Name: Morus bassanus
- Wingspan: 1.5-2 m
- Body Length: 89-105 cm
- Weight: 2-3 kg
- Dive Speed: 100 km/hr
- Dive Depth: Up to 30 m
- Prey: Mackerel, herring, capelin, etc.
- Range: North Atlantic Ocean
- Breeding: Colonies on cliffs and islands
- Conservation Status: Least Concern
Comparisons with Other Diving Seabirds
Species | Maximum Dive Depth | Dive Speed | Prey |
---|---|---|---|
Northern Gannet | 30 m | 100 km/hr | Fish (mackerel, herring, etc.) |
Blue-footed Booby | 25 m | 60-100 km/hr | Fish (anchovies, flying fish, etc.) |
White-chinned Petrel | 10 m | Unknown | Fish, squid, krill |
Sooty Shearwater | 70 m | 110 km/hr | Fish, squid, krill |
This table compares the diving abilities of the Northern Gannet to three other accomplished diving seabirds. The Sooty Shearwater can dive even deeper than the Northern Gannet, down to 70 m, showing their superior underwater abilities. However, the Northern Gannet’s high-speed plunges, reaching 100 km/hr, combined with depths to 30 m make it the champion plunge diver of the North Atlantic.
Northern Gannet Hunting and Feeding
Northern gannets have several adaptations that enable them to excel at plunge diving and hunting fish.
- Vision – Their vision is well-adapted for locating prey above and below water. They can see ultraviolet light which helps spot fish near the surface.
- Air sacs – Air sacs under their skin cushion the impact when hitting the water at high speeds.
- Streamlined body – Their narrow, aerodynamic body shape aids in diving with minimal resistance.
- Wing propulsion – Powerful wings enable them to propel up to 15 m underwater in pursuit of prey.
Gannets hunt by soaring over the ocean until they spot fish near the surface, typically from heights of 30-100 m. Then they fold their wings back and plunge at steep angles, reaching speeds up to 100 km/hr as they hit the water. The force drives them 3-6 m beneath the surface. Using their wings for propulsion, they chase down prey and catch it with their pointed beak. They surface within about 20 seconds and swallow fish underwater before taking off again.
Ideal Habitat
Northern gannets live along coasts and offshore waters of the North Atlantic. They need high cliffs or rocky islands for breeding colonies. Within foraging range, they require areas of ocean with an abundance of fish near the surface, especially cold water species like mackerel, herring and capelin. Nutrient-rich cold water upwellings and currents concentrate the fish that gannets feed on.
Breeding
Northern gannets nest colonially on remote cliffs and islands, usually with populations of thousands to over 100,000 breeding pairs. Breeding sites include the coasts of Iceland, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, as well as islands off Eastern Canada and Maine. Nests consist of seaweed, mud and debris piled up on cliff ledges. Females lay one light blue egg per year. Parents take turns incubating eggs and feeding chicks after they hatch. Chicks fledge at 2-4 months old and spend 2-5 years at sea reaching maturity before returning to breed.
Conservation Status
The global population of Northern gannets is estimated at over 1 million mature individuals. Major breeding colonies across the North Atlantic number 300,000 to 679,000 pairs. Northern gannet numbers declined historically due to hunting for food, eggs and feathers. However, legal protection and reduced persecution allowed populations to recover during the 20th century. Today, Northern Gannets are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Ongoing threats include:
- Food scarcity from overfishing and climate influences on prey
- Disturbance of breeding colonies
- Pollution such as oil spills and marine plastic debris
- Entanglement in fishing gear
Sustainable management of fish stocks and protection of breeding sites will help maintain healthy Northern Gannet populations into the future. Their plunge diving escapades will continue to delight ocean travelers across the North Atlantic.
Conclusion
The Northern Gannet stands out as the preeminent plunging seabird of the North Atlantic Ocean. Its bright white adult plumage, large size, and ability to hit the water at 100 km/hr make it ideally suited to its specialized method of plunge diving for fish. Of all the white-feathered diving seabirds, the Northern Gannet is unmatched in its power and precision when plummeting from great heights to catch agile prey like mackerel and herring. This magnificent diver continues to thrive across the North Atlantic as long as its nesting colonies and fish stocks receive proper protection. The Northern Gannet deservedly claims the title of the quintessential white sea bird that dives.