General Description

Body mainly white. Wings grey-black, underwing with narrow black margins and central inner white streak. Bill pale grey-yellow. Black thin eyebrow over dark eye. Face and neck pale to dark grey depending on race. Young birds with black-grey bill. Body up to 1 m long, wing span to 2.5 m.

Biology

This is the only albatross species that breeds in Australian waters, in Bass Strait. They breed from September to April, forming colonies and building large, cup-shaped nests in which the female lays a single egg.

Habitat

Coastlines, large bays and open seas.

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Sub-Antarctic islands and coasts of southern continents, a vagrant in northern hemisphere areas. Southern Australia.

Species Group

Birds › Albatrosses

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)

Water Column

Above surface

Max Size

1 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Identify

• Birds - Albatrosses

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Vulnerable
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Near Threatened