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Wandering Albatros (Diomedea exulans) Alternate name(s): "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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Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description 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.

Taxonomy, classification See Wandering 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 based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Wandering Albatross is available HERE . 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.

Sightings 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.

Photos

ADULT

FEMALE

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.

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