Diomedeidae

At sea, the grace and elegance of the albatrosses in unrivaled, as they cruise for great distances with seemingly effortless flight. They are long-lived but their low breeding productivity means that the populations are slow to rebound losses.

Additional information

The large, heavy bill is covered by horny plates, and has a hooked maxilla tip. The opening of each nostril has a tubular casing ('tubenose'). Large salt glands above the eyes process excess salt from food and water, and secrete it through the nostrils. Albatrosses have an extraordinary sense of smell, which is used to locate food, and is also important in recognizing other individuals. The tail is fairly short. The legs are strong, with webbed feet.

Albatrosses walk and swim well, but are most renowned for their flight. The birds' long wings enable them to cover huge distances with minimal effort. They glide on stiff wings for long periods, flapping only occasionally, taking advantage of the wind. Sometimes, they arc above the waves and glide through troughs, often skimming the water's surface with a wing tip. However, albatrosses are unable to make quick changes in flight. Take-offs are laborious unless it is very windy, requiring a 'run' on land or 'pattering' along the sea surface; in windless weather, they may not be able to get airborne. Landings are often awkward, and on the ground can be hazardous, because the birds do not maneuver well and sometimes land with a tumble. Prey is plucked from the surface in flight or while swimming, or taken underwater by plunge- or surface-diving.

Albatrosses have a long maturation period: most species do not breed until eight to ten years of age. Most species are colonial, but a few are loosely colonial or solitary. They are monogamous, pairing for life. The clutch comprises just one egg. Because the egg is proportionally very large, the female usually cannot lay another if it or the chick is lost.

Taxonomy   

Number of genera: 4

Number of species: 13

Four genera are recognized: 'sooty' (Phoebetria); 'northern Pacific' (Phoebastria); 'great' (Diomedea); and 'mollymawks' (Thalasarche). However, the taxonomy, and the number of species and subspecies, are still matter of debate.

A list of all species can be found here.