birding...

Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta © Ian Montgomery http://birdway.com.au There are generally considered to be 13 species of Albatrosses in the family Diomedeidae; they are: Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes Waved Albatross Phoebastria irrorata Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys Buller's Albatross Thalassarche bulleri Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta

species links

Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris http://www.falklands-nature.demon.co.uk/wildlife/species_reports/albatross.html The Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, known in the Falkland Islands as the Mollymawk, is found all around the southern oceans between 25 and 60'S. The Falkland Islands hold over 85% of the global population and are the most important breeding station in the world for this species. The largest rookery in the world is on Steeple Jason Island with some 200-230,000 breeding pairs (1987)... Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i0810id.html Similarly pelagic shearwaters and petrels are smaller with shorter wings. Also dark, but rare, first-year Short-tailed Albatross has pink bill and legs. Other albatross species have white bodies and heads... California Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/CA_STAL.html The Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus once bred in huge numbers on at least eleven uninhabited remote islands in subtropical waters west of the Izu-Bonin islands chain, south of Japan. These long-lived birds do not reach full maturity until about 12 years old; away from the breeding islands they ranged widely throughout the north Pacific Ocean (Hasegawa 1984). Here in California, it was once... Gray-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma http://www.greglasley.net/grayalba.html Excellent photographs... Laysan Albatross Diomedea immutabilis http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/albatross.html The Laysan Albatross breeds on isolated islands in the central Pacific Ocean, but is found throughout the northern oceans during all times of the year. They are most commonly seen in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands flying low over the waves searching for food... Short-tailed Albatrosses Phoebastria albatrus http://www.iphc.washington.edu/staff/tracee/shorttail.htm Historically Short-tailed Albatross were one of the most abundant albatross in the North Pacific, ranging over the entire Pacific Rim. Between 1887 and 1932 the feather trade brought the species to near extinction. By 1950 they were considered one of the world's rarest birds, nesting on only one Japanese Island. In the 1960's they were protected internationally and the Japanese government declared the species a national monument. Today the population is recovering and though endangered approximately 1,000 birds exist.

numbers

Number of bird species: 13

useful reading

Albatross: their world, their ways

Field Guide to the Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters of the World

Seabirds

Seabirds ? a natural history

clubs

Albatross Project

Save the Albatross

Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association

reserves

Royal Albatross Centre - Taiaroa Head

other links

Albatross Identification Card

Seabird Osteology