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Shy Albatross
(Thalassarche cauta)
: "White-capped Albatross", "Mollymawk"
Size: 0.9-1.0 m; wing span 2.1-2.6 m
Weight: 3.3-4.9 kg
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Shy Albatrosses are very big seabirds with an almost all-white
plumage.
Adult birds
have a very narrow black fringe all around the wings. The bill is
greyish-yellow, with a dark grey or yellow tip, the eyes are black.
(Parts of the) head and neck are light-grey; the tail is grey.
Juvenile birds have all dark-grey bodies and upperwings, with a
white face.
In immature
birds body and upperwings gradually moult into the white adult
plumage,
in various stages of mottled black-and-white.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Shy
Albatross at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Shy Albatross is available
HERE
.
The range of the Shy Albatross is circumpolar, encompassing all
southern oceans.
There are three races, nominate race "cauta",
race "salvini" and race "eremita".
Of the three races of Shy Albatrosses, "salvini"
and "eremita" reach coastal
waters off the Australian continent only in the South-east,
in a coastal range from about Sydney, NSW, to Adelaide, SA. Race
"cauta" is found over a much wider coastal range, all the way from
the NSW/QLD border in the East, around the South coast of Australia
(including the coast of Tasmania), to about Dirk Hartog Island, WA.
On Australian territory, Shy Albatrosses breed on Albatross Island,
Pedra Branca and Mewstone.
Shy Albatrosses are pelagic birds that spend most of
their time out on the open ocean and in coastal waters. They breed on
offshore islands.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
B. Hensen reports spotting a Shy Albatross off the coast of NSW near
Wattamolla, Royal
NP, NSW, in June 2013.
We have seen a Shy Albatros on a pelagic to the edge of the continental
shelf, 22 nautical miles (40 km) from Terrigal, NSW, in July 2013.
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Photos |
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Race "cauta"
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Frontal view of an immature Shy Albatross in flight
[22 NM (40 km) ESE of Terrigal, NSW, July 2013]
Lateral view of an immature Shy Albatross in flight; distinguishing
features are e.g. the grey bill with black tip, the near-white head
and the narrow black underwing edge
[22 NM (40 km) ESE of Terrigal, NSW, July 2013]
The same immature Shy Albatross as shown above; note how, in different
light, the bird looks a lot darker, especially its underwings
[22 NM (40 km) ESE of Terrigal, NSW, July 2013]
The same immature Shy Albatross as shown above; here the typical very
long and comparatively narrow shape of an Alabtross's wing can be seen
clearly; note also the light reflection on the leading edge, which is
in fact black
[22 NM (40 km) ESE of Terrigal, NSW, July 2013]
Distant view of a Shy Albatross, right, followed by a Black-browed Albatross, left
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Near Wattamolla, Royal
NP, NSW, June 2013]
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.