One of the largest birds to hunt by plunge-diving, the gannet feeds on mackerel and herring and nests in large colonies, often on steep-cliffed islands, along the North Atlantic coasts of Europe. This study, first published in 1978, explores the natural history of the gannet, its appearance, behaviour and distribution, and is illustrated with line drawings, photographs and charts. Additional chapters examine the closely related booby and consider historical and literary accounts of the gannet.