Sulidae - Gannets and Boobies
The Gannets are a small family, comprising two groups of oceanic birds: the gannets themselves which breed in temperate waters and the boobies, which occur in the tropics. All breed colonially and feed on fish, which they dive for. Consequently, they have a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body with a stout dagger-like bill.
Only one species occurs regularly in Britain, the Northern Gannet, which breeds in about a score of colonies scattered around the coast. In 2007 a lone Masked Booby was reported in the English Channel.
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