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Huge albatross of the South Atlantic Ocean; breeds on Gough and Inaccessible Islands.
Endangered
At a glance
FamilyAlbatrosses
SizeGiant
RarityRare
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMorning coastal watches and tide changes that concentrate feeding activity.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Chris Taylor
Range map
Range map
3visible hotspots
6visible records
0states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
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
Plumage highly variable, starting chocolate-brown with a white face and gradually becoming whiter over many years. Younger birds separated from Southern Royal Albatross by darker tail, brown markings on head and back, and lack of black “lips” on cutting edge of bill. Older birds more difficult to separate; focus on more coarsely marked upperwings, often with conspicuous white patch in center of wing, and lack of black “lips”. Often shows orange stain on cheek, never shown by Southern Royal. Identification from other Wandering-type Albatross, especially Snowy, extremely difficult. Tristan usually occurs further north, but significant overlap.
Behavior
Huge albatross of the South Atlantic Ocean; breeds on Gough and Inaccessible Islands.
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