The northern gannet (Morus bassanus) is a seabird with incredible diving ability. This bird lives on a diet of fish which it catches by plunging into the water at high speed. The northern gannet can see a fish underwater from 45 m (148 ft) above the water, although they usually fly lower than that. When they see a fish, they dive into the water making their bodies straight and rigid with their wings tucked back. They use their wings to guide their trajectory until just before reaching the water when they tuck in their wings. With their head and neck stretched out they pierce the water like an arrow at speeds up to 100 km/hr (62 mph). They dive very deep swallowing their prey underwater.

The northern gannets are designed for this high-speed high diving. Their beaks are long and cone-shaped with no external nostrils. Their auditory canals are small and can be closed underwater. They have a long and strong sternum to protect their internal organs when they hit the water. Under their skin, they have several air sacks at strategic locations connected to their lungs. These help to cushion the impact with the water and supply oxygen while under the water. Their wings are long and narrow and located near the front of the body.

The northern gannets usually nest on cliffs overlooking the ocean. They are monogamous, remaining in pairs for a lifetime or several seasons until one of them dies. These beautiful birds are well-designed to be champions of high-speed diving. We see this as another Dandy Design and evidence of the work of the Master Designer.

Picture credits:
Top: Andreas Trepte at File:Morus bassanus adu.jpg; middle: Mike Pennington, HP5600 at geograph.org.uk; bottom: Walter Baxter, NT6087 at geograph.org.uk. Images taken from this wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_gannet