| People say ‘love is for the birds’ and that’s true when it comes to the monogamous Northern Gannets on Bonaventure Island in the Gaspe region of Quebec’s rugged northern coast. Here divas will find the largest, and most important, colony of gannets in North America (second largest in the world after St. Kilda in Scotland). This Canadian gannet colony is by far the most accessible one in the world to humans. And the most noticeable too. In fact you can’t miss it. There are over 250,000 seabirds on this island during mating season and over 70,000 of them are Northern Gannets. The birds return here year after year to reproduce, and as you approach the island from the sea, it looks like every bird is either hovering overhead or clinging desperately to every nook and cranny on the rocky cliffs. The nesting space between birds is very tight, only 30 inches in fact. This is close enough for one gannet to peck or pester its neighbor and this happens a lot. The nests are made up of every piece of twig or discarded feather available. At any given time, it’s easy to observe birds stealing feathers from one another’s nest. Incubation occurs with one lone egg being nestled in either parent’s feet for 43 days. Once the chick hatches the parents regurgitate food to feed the baby. Fortunately, both the hatching and fledging times occur when the herring supply is at its peak (the gannet’s main food source). When one parent wants to leave to go fishing the other stays back to guard the incubating egg. The pair takes turns leaving the nest to prevent nearby gannets from stealing pieces of their nest or even the egg itself! To signal its intention to leave, the gannet goes through a ritual. At first it points its bill to the sky, signaling to the mate to stay and guard the nest. When it returns, it listens for the unique voices of its own family. Once landed, the male then pecks the female on the neck as she bows her neck cooperatively. Once the male has established that this is indeed his female, the pair start a romantic ritual of fencing with their beaks. When the baby gannet is about 3 months old, it is larger and heavier than its parents, having spent its life, to that point, just eating and sleeping. At 3 months of age, it’s around 10lbs in weight and is too heavy to fly, so it falls off the cliff edge where swimming is a necessity that precedes flying. Once physically mature for the flight, the babies, along with their parents, spend the winter months in Florida and later return to Bonaventure Island. Amidst the din and chaos, the gannets try to find a spot, often taking the nest of a bird which has died. No human visitors are allowed on the island at this critical time For an up close and personal view of the gannets, once mating has been completed, take the forty-five minute Sentier des Colonies hiking trail that goes though wildflower meadows to their nesting area. You’ll know you’re nearly there when you hear the calling at a decibel level that would put a rock band to shame. Once there, you’ll be only about 10 feet away from the gannets, despite the rope barrier between human and bird. Your visit will be no less rewarding, as the gannets pay no heed to the gawking humans and go right on with their birding business. Bonaventure Island was first visited by Jacques Cartier in 1534, although he didn’t make note of any feathered inhabitants. Later in March 1919, after the bird population started to fall off due to pollution, Canada, the United States and Mexico signed an agreement to protect these migratory birds, at the same time officially making both Bonaventure Island and neighboring Perce Rock, migratory bird sanctuaries. And Perce Rock is worth checking out, with it’s famous arch . It is believed there were originally four holes in the massive five million ton rock, but over time parts of the rock have fallen into the sea. It still looks dramatic however, in its majestic position overlooking Gaspe’s Land’s End. It’s all well worth the trip—a rare treat for the bird lover, or the romantic diva, and a creative delight for anyone who loves capturing nature on a role of film For more information contact: www.sepaq.com or www.bonjourquebec.com
Sheila is a freelance travel writer based in San Francisco, California; a member of the Bay Area Travel Writers Association, and a regular contributor to The Traveler. Back to TheTraveler.
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