|
|
Buller's Albatross
(Thalassarche bulleri)
: "Buller's Mollymawk"
Size: 75-80 cm; wing span 2.0-2.15 m
Weight: 2.0-3.3 kg
|
|
 |
Similar species |
|
 |
Physical description |
|
Click here for a physical description
Buller's Albatrosses are very big seabirds with an almost
all black-and-white plumage.
Adult birds
have a medium black leading edge and a narrow black trailing edge
on the underwings that also have black tips.
The upperwings are all dark-grey. The bill is black, with broad
yellow outer lining on both mandibles, including the tip; the eyes are black.
The cap is silver-grey, while the rest of the head and the neck
are grey. The underparts are white, except for the grey head and
the grey tip to and otherwise white tail. The rump is white,
while the tip of the uppertail is black.
Immature
Buller's Albatrosses have a darker head and neck than
adults
and a brown bill with black tip.
 |
Twitcher's tip |
|
The
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross
has yellow lining only on the upper mandible of the bill, while
Buller's Albatross has yellow lining on both mandibles.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See Buller's
Albatross at Wikipedia .
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Buller's Albatross is available
HERE
.
At sea the range of Buller's Albatrosses extends from southern Australia
via New Zealand into the southern Pacific Ocean. They are regularly
found along the West coast of South America, from the equator to Tierra
del Fuego.
Buller's Albatrosses breed only on islands around New Zealand.
Buller's Albatross reaches the coastline of Australia only in the
South-east of the continent, from northern NSW in the North to
about Eyre Peninsula, SA, in the South. They are routinely sighted
around the seaward coastlines of Tasmania and to a lesser extent
along Bass Strait.
They are only occasionally
found close to the coast, but more frequently out near the edge of
the continental shelf.
Buller's Albatrosses are pelagic birds that spend most of
their time out on the open ocean and in coastal waters. They breed on
offshore islands.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
M. Roderick reports spotting Buller's Albatrosses
repeatedly on
pelagics from the South-east coast of Australia (both from Port
Stephens and from Swansea), e.g. in March
2012, July 2013, July 2016 and June 2017.
M. Eaton reports finding Buller's Albatrosses
on a pelagic off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021.
|
 |
Photos |
|
 |
ADULT |
|
Frontal view of a Buller's Albatross
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
Near-frontal view of a Buller's Albatross
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
Near-frontal view of a Buller's Albatross
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Port Stephens, NSW, July 2013]
Near-lateral view of a Buller's Albatross
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
Lateral view of a Buller's Albatross
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Buller's Albatross
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Buller's Albatross in flight
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Port Stephens, NSW, March 2012]
Near-lateral portrait of a Buller's Albatross in flight;
note the characteristic broad yellow markings that wrap
onto both sides of the bill and have a broad base
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Port Stephens, NSW, March 2012]
Near-lateral view of a Buller's Albatross in flight
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Port Stephens, NSW, June 2017]
Lateral view of a Buller's Albatross in flight
(photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Off Swansea, NSW, July 2016]
 |
Food, Diet |
|
Close-up near-lateral view of a Buller's Albatross picking up food scraps
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Buller's Albatross picking up food scraps
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Off Eaglehawk Neck, near Hobart, TAS, in September 2021]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.