Cape Gannet

Common to locally abundant near-endemic resident. Unmistakable, large black and white seabird with yellow head and hindneck. At close range, distinctive black lines on the bill and face and a long black line down the centre of the throat are visible. Tail is normally black; rare individuals have white outer tail feathers. Immature all-dark, heavily spotted all over. Body, head and neck become white in that sequence; finally wings become white at about two years. Seen singly or in straggling flocks offshore; large aggregations over fish shoals. Individuals plunge-dive repeatedly. Roosts at night in colonies on offshore islands or at sea.