General Description
Body mainly white. Wings white on leading edge and centre, tips and trailing edge black. Underwing mainly white, tips and trailing edge black. Bill pink. Young birds: body and upperwing uniform brown, face white. Body up to 1.4 m long, wing span to 3.5 m.
Biology
The wingspan of these albatrosses is the widest of all ocean birds. Individuals breed on sub-Antarctic islands, mainly in the Indian Ocean and New Zealand waters.
Habitat
Coastlines, large bays and open seas.
Coastal shores
Distribution guide
Southern continents, including southern Australia.
Species Group
Depth
Water Column
Max Size
1.4 m
Diet
Carnivore
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Recorded in Australia
Identify
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Endangered
- EPBC Act 1999 : Vulnerable
- IUCN Red List : Vulnerable
Author
Wayne Longmore is a Senior Collection manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.
Author
Rory O'Brien is a Collection Manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Longmore, N. W. & O'Brien, R., 2011, Wandering Albatross, Diomedea exulans, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7964
