Light-mantled Albatross — Australian Bird Identification Guide

Bird guideLight-mantled Albatross

Pairs form committed pair-bonds which may last for decades, being renewed through complex courtship displays at the breeding site.

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⚠️WA: Vulnerable; TAS: Vulnerable; NT: Critically Endangered

🍃Indigenous: Grey-Mantled Albatross, Light-Mantled Albatross, Grey Albatross

At a glance

FamilyAlbatrosses

SizeLarge

RarityCommon

HabitatPelagic; mostly over open ocean, coming near land around breeding islands and sometimes seen from headlands or boats.

Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from December.

Sounds

Sound sample

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Recorded by Kevin Guille

Range map

Occurrence window

47visible hotspots

90visible records

4states

Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

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

Generally solitary, tending not to follow fishing vessels and ships as other albatross species do. Has a circumpolar distribution with breeding occuring on subantarctic islands. Distinguished from Sooty Albatross by the ashy-gray neck and back. Northern Giant-Petrel is another mostly dark seabird, but is larger with an obviously huge, pale bill.