From Sick to Seaside: How Ecomare’s Resident Gannets Assist New Arrivals

When a seabird needs help, medical care is only half the story. The real turning point often comes when the bird feels safe enough to rest, eat, and act like itself again. That’s where Ecomare’s resident gannets make a remarkable difference—serving as calm, experienced "hosts" who help newly rescued birds settle, recover, and get back to the sea sooner.

What “resident gannets” means at Ecomare

Resident gannets at Ecomare are Northern Gannets that were once rescued but cannot be released because they’re no longer able to hunt at sea—for example, due to poor vision or a wing injury that didn’t heal well. Instead of disappearing from the conservation story, these birds take on a new role. They:

• Help tell the story of seabird life and challenges to visitors.
• Act as hosts for newly admitted gannets, making newcomers feel at home among their own kind.
• Contribute to a calmer, more natural atmosphere that supports rehabilitation.

Quick definition

• Resident gannets: Non-releasable gannets living permanently at Ecomare who “host” and support newly rescued birds during recovery.

Inside Ecomare’s seabird care

Ecomare operates a recognized seabird facility that specializes in coastal and seabird rehabilitation. Birds commonly admitted include gulls, auks, guillemots, gannets, terns, and occasionally a shorebird. Most are found on Texel; other wildlife centers also refer sea-going birds to Ecomare. Birds that are not “seabirds” transit through Ecomare as a between-station and are taken to specialized mainland centers.

• In a large enclosure with a pond, you’ll find a permanent group of gannets alongside other seabirds. This space borders the bird shelter, so birds in care are never far from the sights and sounds of conspecifics. If you’re lucky, you can even see the birds being fed.
• After recovery, birds are released.
• Ecomare also helps small mammals in need, such as orphaned young rabbits or injured hedgehogs, providing first aid before specialist transfer when needed.
• Each year, young ducklings and goslings that have lost their mother, as well as weakened young gulls and other birds, are regularly admitted—especially at the start of summer—so they can regain strength and get a second chance.

Tip for visitors: Northern Gannets are impressive up close—they have a wingspan of nearly two meters. Seeing a relaxed, confident resident gannet can be a highlight of any visit.

How Ecomare’s resident gannets help new arrivals

Looking for the short answer? Here’s how resident gannets assist newcomers:

• They provide immediate conspecific comfort, reducing stress for new arrivals.
• They model natural behaviors (resting, preening, interacting), which reassures newcomers.
• They normalize feeding times and encourage appetite through social cues.
• They create a stable social backdrop that supports steady recovery.

Why this works (in plain language)

• Lower stress through familiarity: Many animals calm down faster when surrounded by their own species. For a gannet just off the beach or a rescue boat, hearing and seeing other gannets acts like a steadying signal: “You’re in the right place.” Lower stress supports immune function and energy conservation—both essential for healing.

• Confidence through behavior cues: Birds read each other’s body language. When a resident flock is relaxed—bathing, preening, or resting—new birds are less vigilant and more willing to settle. Resident birds effectively “demonstrate” that the environment is safe enough to recover.

• Appetite through social facilitation: It’s common for animals to resume feeding when they see others do the same. Resident gannets help re‑ignite feeding motivation in birds that may be hesitant or overwhelmed after rescue.

• A bridge back to the wild: While resident birds don’t teach hunting, they keep social and maintenance behaviors (preening, resting patterns) active—behaviors that matter when a rehabilitated bird returns to sea.

From intake to release: the rehabilitation flow

Every seabird’s case is unique, but the goal is always the same: stabilize, strengthen, and release when the bird is capable of fending for itself.

1. Admission and stabilization: Birds arrive sick, injured, weakened, or sometimes oiled. As a specialized seabird center, Ecomare focuses on the needs of coastal and marine species.
2. Recovery with conspecific support: Where appropriate, new gannets benefit from the presence of Ecomare’s resident gannets as “hosts.” Feeling at home among their own species can accelerate settling and strength gain.
3. Assessment for release: Once a bird has regained condition and function, staff release it. Birds that cannot return to the wild may become long‑term residents, supporting education and future rescues.

Expertise for challenging cases, including oil spills

Ecomare is part of SON‑RESPONS, a collaboration among seabird rescue centers (including Texel, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Middelburg, and Ostend in Belgium) that deploys trained staff to help oil‑affected birds under European protocols. This capacity is crucial when incidents occur along the coast. Within the daily work of Ecomare’s bird shelter, oiled, injured, or exhausted seabirds are stabilized and cared for until they can return to the wild—or supported long‑term when release is not possible.

What you can see and learn when you visit

• In the seabird area, look for the resident gannets in their large pond enclosure adjacent to the bird shelter. You may catch a feeding moment.
• Make it a full day of marine discovery:
  • See the entire seal care process up close, from warm quarantine rooms to outdoor basins, at Seals at Ecomare.
  • Don’t miss the daily seal presentation at 11:00 and 15:30.
  • Watch the Sea Aquarium feeding presentation at 14:30 and explore the region’s fish, sharks, rays, and more at The Sea Aquarium at Ecomare.
  • Dive deeper into the landscape that shapes seabird life in the interactive exhibition The Wonderful Wadden Sea: Wonderful Wad.
• Check times and plan ahead via the Calendar.

For seabird enthusiasts, you can also explore background reading about gannets and seabirds:

• Seabirds at Ecomare (Dutch): Zeevogels
• About the Northern Gannet (Dutch): Jan‑van‑gent

Practical takeaways if you encounter a wild seabird

• Keep your distance; minimize noise and disturbance.
• Do not feed or give water—improper feeding can cause harm.
• Contact your local wildlife rescue organization for instructions.
• For porpoises or seals in need on Texel, see the guidance here (Dutch): Wild dier in nood?

Why this approach matters

Ecomare’s resident gannets show how long‑term care and active rehabilitation can reinforce each other. By offering species‑specific comfort and cues, these birds help newcomers conserve energy for healing, resume feeding sooner, and progress more steadily toward release. It’s a model of rehabilitation where education, welfare, and conservation meet—right where sea and shore connect.

Conclusion

Ecomare’s resident gannets are more than permanent guests—they’re partners in care who make the transition from sick to seaside faster and gentler for newly rescued birds. If you want to understand seabird rehabilitation from the inside, come see how hosts and newcomers share space, cues, and calm.

Ready to learn more and plan your visit?

• Explore Seals at Ecomare, the Sea Aquarium, and the Wonderful Wadden Sea.
• Check schedules on the Calendar.
• Share your experience and help spread the word about seabird care.

Bold takeaway: Ecomare’s resident gannets help rescued birds settle faster, eat better, and return to the wild sooner—one calm cue at a time.