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Wandering Albatros
(Diomedea exulans)
: "Snowy Albatross", "White-winged Albatross"
Size: 1.1-1.35 m; wing span 2.5-3.5 m
Weight: 5.9-12.7 kg
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Wandering Albatrosses are very big seabirds with an almost all-white
plumage.
Adult birds
have a black fringe around the wings, extending from the alula outwards and all around the
back of the wing. The bill is flesh-pink, the eyes are black.
Females
always have brown speckles or streaks on the crown.
Juvenile birds have all dark-grey bodies and upperwings, with a
white face. In immature Wandering Albatrosses the body, upperwings
and underwings gradually moult from being black into the mostly white
adult plumage with
black edges, in various stages of mottled black-and-white.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Wandering
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
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The global distribution of the Wandering Albatross is available
HERE
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At sea the range of Indian Wandering Albatrosses is circumpolar, from
-28 to -60 degrees geographic latitude. Their breeding colonies
are on several islands, including - on Australian territory - on
Macquarie Island.
In Australia they
reach coastal
waters off the Australian continent anywhere along the southern
half of the continent, from South of -20 degrees latitude on the QLD
coast to just to the North of Perth in WA.
Wandering 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
We have seen a Wandering Albatross on a pelagic to the edge
of the continental shelf, 22 nautical miles (40 km) from Terrigal, NSW,
in July 2013. Some authors distinguish between races "Diomedea [exulans]
antipodensis" and "Diomedea [exulans] gibsoni"). The bird shown here is
likely an Antipodean Albatross.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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FEMALE |
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Near-frontal view of a Wandering Albatross on the water; if race
"antipodensis", this bird is most likely an adult female
[22 NM (40 km) ESE of Terrigal, NSW, July 2013]
Lateral view of the same Wandering Albatross as shown above
[22 NM (40 km) ESE of Terrigal, NSW, July 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.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
