A common and widespread albatross of the southern oceans; often seen from shore and ferries.
At a glance
Sounds
Range map
Range map
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Like other albatrosses, often scavenges at fishing boats. All plumages white-headed, often obvious at long distance (black brow only visible at close range). Adult has orange-yellow bill, brighter at the tip and thick black irregular underwing margins; 1st-year has dusky bill with black tip and solidly blackish underwings; mostly like adult in 3 years.
Behavior
They have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called naricorns , although the nostrils on the albatross are on the sides of the bill. The black-browed albatross is circumpolar in the southern oceans, and it breeds on 12 islands throughout that range. In the Atlantic Ocean , it breeds on the Falkland Islands , South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands , and the Cape Horn Islands .
Gallery