Photo: Bird Attack Hawkes Bay

This juvenile Australasian Gannet at Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand is one type of youngster that likes to attack a sign.

A juvenile Australasian Gannet is not sure of what the green and yellow sign posted at Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand is, so he decides that the best approach is to attack it. As the sharp beak of this bird wraps around the sign he will then either find this attack rather amusing or realize that it is not worth his effort.

The coloring of the plumage and the white speckled spots on this bird is a easy way to distinguish an approximate age. Young Australasian Gannets at Hawkes Bay are black in their first year of life and will gradually become whiter in color each year until about five years of age when their plumage is all white. This is when they reach maturity and their plan of attack changes from harassing signs to becoming great plunge divers to attack a meal.

The Australasian Gannets at Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand usually lay eggs in October. After about forty-four days, each bird will begin a 24-36 hour process where the small chick will attack the shell to break free to the outside world. ... continue below the picture...

This picture is part of the photo album "Animal Pictures" - there are more beautiful images waiting for you.

... So you can see that an Australasian Gannet at Hawkes Bay, New Zealand loves to attack from its first days, right through its juvenile years and even into adulthood.

The best time to view the Gannets at Hawkes Bay is from December to March. Chicks are born and within about four months, each bird from the gannet colony has grown into a juvenile and flight has been taken until the return of the males
in late July.

Juvenile Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator, attacking sign at Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay, East Coast, North Island, New Zealand.