The Albatross is the largest sea bird in the world. Of the 21 albatross species worldwide, the wandering albatross is the largest, with a wingspan of up to 3.5 meters (11 ft) and a weight of up to 13 kg (28 lb). The combination of weight on such wings gives the effect of a natural glider. In fact, gliders can be thought of as being designed in the image of the albatross. This king of seabirds has learned to use his body mass for instant takeoff. It is believed that this species can travel 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles) in just 12 days. Birds hunt and feed at night, such as squid or surface fish. No bird has a larger wingspan.
Let's find out more about him...
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For a sailor, birds appearing in the air are always a sure sign of the proximity of land. After all, no matter how far gulls, frigates or phaetons fly into the sea, they always return to the shore. But if you see a huge albatross soaring in the sea, know that the land is still very far away. The albatross is a typically oceanic bird. He feeds, and rests, and even sleeps in the open sea.
For flight, the albatross uses not so much the strength of its muscles as the jets of wind reflected from the slopes of the waves. In calm weather, these huge white birds usually sit on the ode. Anticipating the onset of calm, albatrosses leave these places. The petrels related to them behave in the same way. No wonder sailors associate the appearance of both with the approach of stormy weather. This is reflected in the very name of the birds - petrels.
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Albatrosses are the eternal wanderers of the sea; they are able to make huge air travels, covering thousands of miles in a short time. There is a known case when an albatross, ringed on Kerguelen Island in the Indian Ocean, fell into the hands of people for the second time near South America, that is, 10 thousand kilometers from the place of ringing.
The wandering albatross is the largest representative of the entire order of tube-nosed birds, which also include petrels and small petrels. The wingspan of a wandering albatross is 3-3.5 meters. On the high seas in windy weather, these birds often accompany ships. Without moving, but only shaking its wings, the albatross easily overtakes the ship, overtakes it, describes a wide arc around it, and then “hangs” behind the stern for a long time, waiting for something edible to be thrown out of the galley. Noticing the prey, the bird sits on the water, folds its long wings for a long time and collects food from the surface of the water. Then reappears astern.
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Catching a huge bird is not difficult at all: just put a piece of fat on a large fishing hook and throw the tackle overboard on a long strong cord. Taking advantage of gullibility, they were caught in a multitude in such a way as to get beautiful white feathers - another hobby of fashionistas. Although the fashion for albatross feathers has passed and now they are hardly hunted, these birds have become rare.
The nesting period of the wandering albatross lasts an unusually long time - almost a whole year. During the breeding season, birds gather on the deaf, deserted islands of the southern hemisphere. For about two weeks, wedding ceremonies take place on the island. Birds arrange mating dances, scream loudly, take bizarre poses, rub their beaks. Then they break into pairs, and the female lays a single egg in a rock crevice, or even right in an open place.
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Hatching lasts two and a half months, the male and female constantly replace each other. For 8-9 months, the chick does not leave the nest, and the parents must feed it all this time. After a busy nesting period, the birds rest and gain strength for a whole year. It is clear that albatrosses are now becoming more and more rare - after all, there are fewer convenient nesting sites, more dangers, and these birds breed slowly - becoming sexually mature late - and nest every two years.
The philistine opinion that seabirds should be destroyed, as they supposedly cause damage to fisheries, has long gone into the realm of legends. Of course, many of them do feed on fish, but usually not at all of those species that are commercial. Even catching a certain amount of commercial fish, they bring a person more benefit than harm. Let us recall guano, eiderdown, the possibility (within reasonable limits) to collect eggs of market birds, and the fact that a number of seabirds serve as an object of fishing. But, in addition, everyone must understand that sea birds - from the little tern to the huge albatross - are as necessary in the ocean as cuckoos, orioles and nightingales are in the grove. Without birds, without their voices, without the crying of seagulls and the hubbub of bird colonies, the sea will be half dead. And who needs the dead sea?
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In recent years, much has been done to protect seabirds. They are no longer rapaciously and thoughtlessly destroyed for fleeting gain, for fun or for scrambled eggs for a snack. But in one respect the seabirds are getting worse year by year. Oil products entering the sea, whether the result of a disaster, negligence or indifference to the environment, are equally detrimental to seabirds. Their feather cover is smeared with fatty secretions of a special coccygeal gland. Birds constantly monitor their feathers, clean and oil them. From this, the feather becomes impervious to water.
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Birds do not drown afloat and do not freeze in cold water. Between the top layer of feathers and the bird's body there is always the necessary thermally insulating air layer. Oil spilled into the sea dissolves the natural protective fat, and then water penetrates under the feathers. Thousands of seabirds caught in the oil slick die from cold and various colds. On oil-stained wings, they cannot fly and starve to death. Now, in order to prevent them from dying, it is necessary not so much to protect them from the encroachments of poachers, but to maintain the purity of sea water. The latter, however, must be done not only for the sake of the birds.
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Albatrosses are eternal nomads, they not only do not have permanent habitats, but are in constant motion, covering the entire planet with their flights. Most of the time, albatrosses spend over the surface of the ocean far from the coast; it is quite normal for these birds not to see land for months and even years (albatrosses sleep on the surface of the water). The average flight speed of albatrosses is 50 km / h, but they can increase it up to 80 km / h. At such high speeds, albatrosses can fly almost around the clock, overcoming up to 800 km per day! Geolocated albatrosses circled the globe in 46 days, some of them doing it multiple times. Interestingly, despite such “homelessness”, albatrosses nest in strictly defined places. Each species occupies nesting sites on certain islands (Falkland, Galapagos, Japanese, Hawaiian and many others), and each bird returns strictly to the place of its birth. Studies have shown that albatross nests are located on average at a distance of 22 m from the place where they themselves were born! Amazing accuracy and phenomenal topographical memory for birds that haven't seen land in years!
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But albatrosses have another interesting quality. The fact is that different types prefer to forage in different places: some hunt off the coast at a distance of up to 100 km from the coastline, others - away from land. For example, the wandering albatross categorically avoids those areas of the ocean where the depth is less than 1000 m. But how birds determine the depth if they get food only at the surface of the water remains a mystery. During nesting on the islands, birds of different sexes can share food areas, for example, males of the Tristan albatross flew only to the west in search of food, and females only to the east.
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They use updrafts of air reflected from the surface of the ocean to move in the air. First, the albatross gains height, and then glides on spread wings, smoothly descending to the surface of the water and examining the water surface along the way. Descending by 1 m in height, the albatross manages to fly 22-23 m horizontally. The gliding and special design of the wing allows the birds to save energy, so they can stay in the air for hours without making a single wing beat. In complete calm, albatrosses are forced to flap their wings, but at this time they prefer not to rise into the air at all. For this reason, albatrosses have always been considered a sign of trouble among sailors, since their appearance near the ship meant the approach of a storm. For rest, albatrosses sit on the water, but on occasion they willingly use the masts and decks of ships. Because of the long wings, these birds have a hard time taking off; they take a run, preferring to take off from cliffs or steep slopes.
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Outside nesting territories, albatrosses are found singly, but in places rich in food, they can form aggregations with representatives of their own species, other species of albatrosses, as well as gulls, petrels, boobies. On occasion, they track the movement of feeding whales, killer whales and fishing boats, willingly picking up the remains of someone else's prey or fishing waste. Albatrosses treat their fellows and other birds calmly, the nature of these birds is very meek and trusting, for example, on nesting albatrosses they can let a person come close to them.
Albatrosses feed on fish, squid and crustaceans, but they can also eat small plankton and carrion. Some species prefer fish, while others prefer squid. Albatrosses track down their prey from the air and grab from the surface of the ocean with their beak on the fly, but if necessary, these birds can dive from the air or from the surface of the water to a depth of 12 m.
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Albatrosses are monogamous birds, they remain faithful to a partner all their lives and recognize him after many months of absence. The process of forming a couple stretches for years. For the first few years, young birds fly to nesting sites and lek, but do not find a partner for themselves, as they do not fully know sign language. Over time, they hone their skills and find a suitable partner, and birds of the same pair form their own unique "family" set of signals. Interestingly, the established pair ceases to lek over time, that is, albatrosses use the mating ritual only to create a pair, and not to mate at all. The mating ritual is reduced to sorting out the feathers of oneself and one's partner, turning the head, throwing back the head and loud cackling, flapping the outstretched wings, clicking the beak and grabbing the partner's beak (“kisses”). The voice of albatrosses resembles a cross between the cackling of a goose and the neighing of a horse.
A wandering albatross performs a mating song in front of a female.
Albatrosses always lay only 1 large egg and incubate it in turn. Change of partner occurs very rarely - from once a day to once every three weeks. All this time, the birds sit motionless on the nest and do not eat anything, while significantly losing weight. The incubation period of albatrosses is the longest among all birds - 70-80 days.
Black-browed albatross female with chick.
Parents first incubate and heat the hatched chick in turn: while one parent sits on the nest, the second hunts and arrives with prey. For the first three weeks, the chick is fed with small pieces, which the parents regurgitate to the chick, then both adult birds leave the nest and visit it less and less. True, at one time they bring a large amount of food (up to 12% of their own body weight), but it is customary for albatross chicks to sit alone in the nest for several days. During feeding, the chicks accumulate in their stomachs an oily mass of semi-digested food, which serves as their energy reserve.
The giant wandering albatross chick has spent almost a year in the nest.
The nesting period for albatrosses is unprecedentedly long - the chicks leave the nest after 140-170 (for small species) or 280 (for the wandering albatross) days. During this time, they manage to molt twice and gain weight in excess of the weight of an adult bird. The upbringing of the chick ends with the fact that the parents finally leave the nest, and the chick ... remains. He can spend a few more days or weeks in the nest until the molt ends, then the chicks independently go to the shore, where they develop wing flapping for some more time. Often, the chicks spend this non-flying period on the water and at this time they are very vulnerable to sharks, which specially come to the islands to hunt the chicks. Apart from sharks, albatrosses have practically no natural enemies. Young albatrosses fly from their birthplaces to the ocean, only to return here after a few years. The coloration of young birds is always darker than that of adults; over the years, they gradually lighten. Puberty in these birds comes very late - by 5 years, but they begin to participate in reproduction only from 9-10 years. Low fecundity and late maturity compensates for a long lifespan, albatrosses live up to 30-60 years!
The remains of an albatross with plastic debris that the bird ingested while alive.
In the old days, albatross nesting sites were used by sailors and whalers for eggs, blubber and down. Eggs were collected by hand, fat was rendered from chicks, and fluff was collected from their carcasses. At one time, several tens of thousands of eggs and several tons of fat could be imported from the island. The mass slaughter of already infertile albatrosses at nesting sites led to a sharp reduction in their numbers, and in the 18th-19th centuries, the colonization of the islands by people was added to this disaster. The colonists brought cats, dogs and cattle with them to the islands, which disturbed the nesting birds and destroyed the chicks. In addition, albatrosses were shot from ships for entertainment and even caught with bait, like fish. Many species of albatrosses are endangered. The rarest are the Amsterdam, Chatham and white-backed albatrosses, the latter was already recognized as extinct in 1949, but, fortunately, several pairs survived. Careful protection has led to an increase in the number of this species to several hundred individuals, which, of course, cannot be called a prosperous state.
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Nowadays, albatrosses suffer from pollution of the ocean with garbage and oil products: oil stains the plumage of birds and makes it unsuitable for flight, and albatrosses often take garbage for prey and try to swallow it. The accumulation of debris in the stomach eventually leads to the death of the bird. Currently, out of 21 species of albatrosses, 19 are listed in the Red Book! To protect these beautiful birds, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, France, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador signed the Albatross and Petrel Conservation Agreement.
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The most legendary sea bird, of course, can be called the albatross. In the family to which it belongs, there are only about twenty species. But the wandering albatross is distinguished by the size and length of the wing. He earned fame thanks to his love for long-distance travel over the sea surface. The bird itself is very amazing, let's get to know it better.
Why is the wandering albatross called that?
It is believed that the Spanish navigators came up with the name of the bird in the fifteenth century. Then they all called alcatrazes. The English, on the other hand, pronounced the word in their own way, and it sounded like "albatross". The name stuck around everywhere.
Due to physiological characteristics, the wandering albatross spends most of its life in flight. The origin of the name is connected precisely with this fact. Very often you can see how the bird accompanies steamboats. Indeed, the albatross behaves like a real wanderer, constantly wandering from one sea to another, and only occasionally lands on oceanic islands.
What does a wandering albatross look like?
Adult birds are completely white, except for small black patches on the back of the wings. Juveniles are slightly different appearance. Chicks have brown plumage, which fades and becomes white only with time. Echoes of the "young" coloration are usually found on the chest as a small strip.
The fluff of the albatross covers the body with a continuous and dense layer. The plumage is light and warm, in physical properties close to that of a swan. As a rule, the paws are pale pink in color, and the eyes have a dark brown tint. The beak is powerful, which makes the wandering albatross look intimidating for some birds.
The description of eyewitnesses is simply amazing. Some travelers say that the albatross is almost the size of a person. Indeed, the body in length reaches almost 120 centimeters. But more amazing is the wingspan, which can be more than three meters!
Traveler albatross habitat
Albatross can rightly be called a large and strong bird. It calmly flies a thousand kilometers over. Therefore, not land, but oceans and seas can be considered a native home. The habitat of this traveler is the waters adjacent to the icy Antarctica and the southern coasts of Africa, Australia and America. Individuals can be found in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, but extremely rarely.
Wandering albatross food
As a rule, this bird prefers fish, crustaceans and cephalopods as food. The albatross catches them on the surface of the water or dives after them to a shallow depth. Most often he does this at night. This majestic bird loves to profit during a storm, because a lot of food is thrown ashore with the waves.
The wandering albatross does not shun the garbage that is thrown from the ships. Therefore, it is very often possible to see how this bird accompanies ships sailing far from the coast, hoping to intercept something edible. There are individuals that settle in fishing areas (for example, on the Patagonian shelf or the Falkland Islands). There, albatrosses, along with petrels, turn into banal scavengers and feed on the waste left over from seafood production.
Albatross is a bird of prey, so there have been quite bloodthirsty cases with a person. The dead people who tried to escape from the storm were found with mutilated faces and gouged out eyes. Experts confirmed that this was done by an albatross. One captain said that he witnessed the attack of this bird on a sailor. Such cases have happened, but are rather the exception.
life in flight
As already mentioned, most of the life of this bird takes place in flight. Every day, she can cover a distance of two hundred to a thousand kilometers. This fact is explained by physiological features. First of all, it is worth noting the hollow bones and air sacs, thanks to which the wandering albatross weighs very little. The wingspan of up to four meters is simply ideal in terms of aerodynamics.
Such physiological features allow the albatross to use air currents during flight. Muscular efforts are practically not applied. The bird flaps its wings only during takeoff and landing, and soars the rest of the time. And this can go on for hours. The wandering albatross lands only for breeding. Above fifteen meters above the water does not rise. At low air temperatures and on calm days, it flies even lower. The bird loves storms very much and moves perfectly against the wind.
Ornithologists believe that a wandering albatross can easily overcome five thousand kilometers in ten days. Lifestyle - constant flights, and this is the norm for a traveling bird. One interesting case was described about a ringed individual. The albatross was released into and six months later it was found near South Georgia. Approximately six months later, the bird was already encountered off the coast of Australia. Ornithologists believe that a wandering albatross can make several round-the-world trips in its lifetime.
Takeoff and landing features
It is believed that the wandering albatross never land on the water. Of course, this is a myth. All food is fish and shellfish) just lives in the water. Moreover, albatrosses even dive for it to a shallow depth.
But this traveler tries not to land on the deck. This is explained by the fact that it is difficult for an albatross to rise into the air from a flat surface due to short legs and long wings. The same is true with taking off from the surface of the water in calm. An albatross wandering in such weather sits for a long time on the sea surface, rises into the air heavily and reluctantly. To do this, you have to work hard.
First, the bird picks up speed, pushing off the surface with its feet. Then it flies low over the sea surface, sometimes flapping its wings. And landed on the water again. So until it finally rises into the air.
The landing of an albatross is even more interesting to watch. The bird stretches its webbed feet forward and spreads its wings wide. Then he gently touches the water surface with his feet, raising the spray. So, as if on skis, the albatross glides for several meters, after which it gradually folds its wings.
Way of life of a bird-traveler
Albatross is a solitary bird, but only during nesting it gathers in colonies. The Wanderer prefers monogamous relationships, and therefore forms a couple for life. Relationships are broken if the partner dies or the chicks fail to hatch. Only then the albatross is looking for another pair for procreation.
This traveler lives an average of twenty years. Some die as chicks from predators. But it is worth noting that there is information about individuals who survived to the age of fifty.
Features of the marriage period
The life span of this bird is quite long, but it does not have many descendants. Usually it starts nesting not earlier than eight years, and the next chicks are brought out only after a few years.
The mating season begins in December, when the colonies come together. The wandering albatross chooses warmer nesting habitats. These are subantarctic Kerguelen, Crozet and South Georgia. The nest is built on cliffs, rocky slopes and deserted shores, which are well blown by the wind.
Before mating, wandering albatrosses perform a special dance. During it, females and males spread their wings wide, rub their beaks, bow and go towards each other. The ritual lasts a long time and ends with the head raised to the sky with the emission of a loud cry.
Incubation period of the wandering albatross
The partners build the nest together. To do this, they use old structures or make new ones from grass, moss and flowers. The nest turns out to be rather big (about a meter wide and thirty centimeters deep). The wandering albatross lays only one egg, but quite large, half a kilogram in weight.
Incubation lasts eighty days. During this time, partners replace each other every two weeks. But still, mostly the male takes care of the nest. In search of food, he can leave the female for a month and fly several thousand kilometers. During hatching, birds can even lose about fifteen percent in weight.
Caring for chicks
After the chick hatches, the female and male keep a close eye on him for a week. For the first twenty days, the parents feed the young albatross daily. Later they do it less often, but they give more food. In between feedings, the chick is left alone, so it often becomes prey for predators.
So the young individual is in the nest for another eight months. Of course, under such conditions, the wandering albatross cannot nest often. Usually these birds have offspring once every two years. Therefore, at the same time, you can see how some partners feed the chicks, while other couples only incubate the eggs.
Once you see a wandering albatross, you will never forget it. The dimensions and manner of flight are simply amazing and remain in memory forever.
It is impossible not to accept the fact that it is not only a beautiful creature, but also an extremely strong bird. Flying a thousand kilometers for a bird is not difficult. The span of its huge wings is more than three meters. Contrary to its relatives, this bird is capable of not seeing land from one to several weeks. She really likes to soar over the open ocean. Despite the fact that the habitat of albatrosses is Antarctica, they are able to fly to Russia. Read more about these amazing creatures in this article.
Description of the bird albatross
Albatross cannot be confused with any other bird, because it can be called a real giant. Most often, the weight of a bird is eleven kilograms. But not only these signs are distinctive. The bird has a rather large and elongated beak, which has elongated nostrils. Thanks to them, the bird has a well-developed sense of smell, which allows it to easily catch prey. The bird also has webbed feet that allow it to swim in the vastness of the ocean, but move on land with great difficulty. Due to the fact that the bird lives mainly in a cold climate, its entire body is covered with fluff. This allows you not to freeze even at the lowest temperatures.
The nature of the albatross
It is safe to say that albatrosses are those birds that cannot be attached to anything. (Of course, if this is not the place where they themselves were born) Many people can envy them, as these amazing creatures have the opportunity to travel around the world whenever they want. It's hard to believe that albatrosses can fly eighty kilometers an hour. But, the main thing that strikes the imagination is that there are birds from this family that are ready to fly a huge distance around the world in forty-five days. This is an absolute record. Even albatrosses decide to build their nest where they themselves were once born.
Life span of an albatross
Albatross is a bird that does not particularly have enemies in nature. This species is one of the few who live quite well into old age.
The life expectancy of a feathered bird can reach up to fifty years, although some threats still take place in the life of a bird.
When the period of incubation of eggs comes, then a rat or a wild cat can accidentally wander onto the island and, accordingly, harm. This sometimes happens even when the chicks have already hatched. But, unfortunately, at all times for all individuals of the animal world, a terrible enemy is man. There were always enough poachers. And a hundred years ago, almost all birds of this species were exterminated by people for the sake of feathers and down. Then it was fashionable for women to wear ladies' hats with an albatross feather. Unfortunately, a person could no longer see the white Albatross, as ruthless hunters almost exterminated this whole species.
Albatross nutrition
It is believed that albatrosses are not particularly picky about what they will eat. About fifty percent of their diet is carrion. Fish or shrimp will be a real gourmet delicacy for birds. These birds see well at night, but they get food in the morning. Albatrosses are not only great at flying, but also good at diving. For their prey, they are ready to dive very deep - to a depth of one meter.
Conclusion
There are a lot of amazing inhabitants in nature. One of them is a beautiful, strong and free bird albatross. She is the heroine of many poetic works. She is admired not only by poets, but also by ordinary people from all over the planet. At the moment, it is very important to preserve the population of these species.
Ornithologists concluded that birds continue to die even in our seemingly civilized time. The thing is that birds quite often swallow fishhooks instead of fish. As a result, their number is reduced by one hundred thousand every year. If there were more kind people in the world who would protect the environment and not harm it, then life on the planet would be completely different. In the 21st century, the concept of a poacher would have to go nowhere. Everything today desired products can be bought at the supermarket. Catching fish in a rather ancient way does not seem normal to many. But, unfortunately, there are such individuals in every country.
Perhaps, after reading this article, someone will think, and after many, many years people will be able to enjoy the presence of a magnificent birds albatross.
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The freedom-loving albatross is loved by poets and romantics. Poems are dedicated to him and they believe that heaven patronizes the bird: according to legend, not a single killer of an albatross goes unpunished.
Description, appearance of the albatross
This majestic sea bird is part of the petrel order.. The International Union for Conservation of Nature divides the vast albatross family into 4 genera with 22 species, but the number is still under discussion.
Some species, for example, the royal and wandering albatrosses, exceed the wingspan (over 3.4 m) of all birds living now.
The plumage of adults is built on the contrast of the dark upper/outer part of the wings and the white chest: some species can be almost brown, others can be snow-white, like the males of the royal albatross. In young animals, the final color of the feathers appears after a few years.
The powerful beak of the albatross ends with a hooked mandible. Thanks to the long nostrils stretched along, the bird keenly senses smells (which is uncharacteristic for birds), which "lead" it to the stern.
Each paw does not have a hind toe, but has three front toes connected by webs. Strong legs allow all albatrosses to effortlessly walk on land surfaces.
In search of food, albatrosses are able to cover considerable distances with little effort, using inclined or dynamic soaring. Their wings are designed in such a way that the bird can hang in the air for a long time, but does not master a long fly flight. The albatross makes an active flapping of its wings only during takeoff, relying further on the strength and direction of the wind.
When calm, the birds sway on the water surface until the first gust of wind helps them. On the sea waves, they not only rest on the way, but also sleep.
It is interesting! The word "albatross" comes from the Arabic al-ġaţţās ("diver"), which in the Portuguese dialect began to sound like alcatraz, then migrated to English and Russian. Under the influence of the Latin albus ("white"), alcatraz later became albatross. Alcatraz is the name of an island in California where especially dangerous criminals were kept.
Habitat in the wild
Most of the albatrosses live in the southern hemisphere, spreading from Australia to Antarctica, as well as in South America and South Africa.
Exceptions include four species belonging to the genus Phoebastria. Three of them live in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, from the Hawaiian Islands to Japan, California and Alaska. A fourth species, the Galapagos albatross, forages off the Pacific coast of South America and has been sighted in the Galapagos Islands.
The area of distribution of albatrosses is directly related to their inability to actively fly, which makes it almost impossible to cross the equatorial calm sector. And only the Galapagos albatross learned to subdue the air currents formed under the influence of the cold Humboldt ocean current.
Ornithologists, using satellites to monitor the movements of albatrosses over the ocean, found out that birds do not participate in seasonal migrations. Albatrosses disperse to different natural areas after the breeding season is completed..
Each species chooses its own territory and route: for example, southern albatrosses usually go on circumpolar trips around the world.
Production, diet
Albatross species (and even intraspecific populations) differ not only in range, but also in gastronomic preferences, although their food supply is approximately the same. Only the proportion of one or another food source differs, which can be:
- a fish;
- cephalopods;
- crustaceans;
- zooplankton;
- carrion.
Some prefer to feast on squid, others catch krill or fish. For example, of the two "Hawaiian" species, one, the dark-backed albatross, focuses on squid, and the second, the black-footed albatross, focuses on fish.
Ornithologists have found that certain species of albatrosses willingly eat carrion. Thus, the wandering albatross specializes in squids that die during spawning, are discarded as fishing waste, and are also rejected by other animals.
The value of carrion in the menu of other species (such as grey-headed or black-browed albatrosses) is not so great: smaller squids become their prey, usually quickly sinking to the bottom when they die.
It is interesting! Not so long ago, the hypothesis that albatrosses picked up food on the surface of the sea was dispelled. They were equipped with echo sounders that measured the depth to which the birds sank. Biologists have found that several species (including the wandering albatross) dive about 1 m, while others (including the sooty albatross) can descend to 5 m, if necessary, increasing the depth to 12.5 meters.
It is known that albatrosses get food during the day, diving for the victim not only from the water, but also from the air.
Lifestyle, albatross enemies
The paradox is that all albatrosses, having practically no natural enemies, turned out to be on the verge of extinction in our century and are taken under the protection of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The main reasons that brought the birds to this fatal line were:
- their mass destruction for the sake of feathers for ladies' hats;
- introduced animals, whose prey are eggs, chicks and adult birds;
- environmental pollution;
- death of albatrosses during longline fishing;
- depletion of ocean fish stocks.
The tradition of hunting albatrosses originated among the ancient Polynesians and Indians: thanks to them, entire populations disappeared, as was the case on about. Easter. Later, European sailors also made their contribution, catching birds to decorate the table or for sporting interest.
Murders peaked during the period of active settlement in Australia, ending with the advent of firearms laws. In the century before last, the white-backed albatross almost completely disappeared, which was mercilessly shot by feather hunters.
Important! In our time, albatrosses continue to die for other reasons, including swallowing fishing tackle hooks. Ornithologists have calculated that this is at least 100 thousand birds per year.
The next threat comes from introduced animals (mice, rats and feral cats) that destroy nests and attack adults. Albatrosses have no defense skills as they nest away from wild predators. Cattle brought to about. Amsterdam, became an indirect cause of the decline of albatrosses, as it ate the grass where the birds hid their nests.
Another risk factor is plastic debris that settles in the stomachs undigested or blocks the gastrointestinal tract so that the bird does not feel hungry. If the plastic gets to the chick, it ceases to grow normally, as it does not require food from the parents, experiencing a false sense of satiety.
Now many environmental structures are working on measures to reduce the amount of plastic garbage that enters the ocean.
Lifespan
Albatrosses can be attributed to centenarians among birds. Ornithologists estimate their average lifespan at about half a century. Scientists are based on observations of one specimen from the species Diomedea sanfordi (royal albatross). He was ringed when he was already in adulthood, and followed him for another 51 years.
It is interesting! Biologists have suggested that the ringed albatross lived in its natural environment for at least 61 years.
Albatross breeding
All species demonstrate philopatricity (loyalty to the place of birth), returning from wintering not just to their native places, but almost to their parental nests. For breeding, islands with rocky capes are chosen, where there are no predatory animals, but there is free access to the sea.
In albatrosses, late fertility (at 5 years) is observed, and they begin to mate even later: some species do not earlier than 10 years. Albatross takes the choice of a life partner with all seriousness, which he changes only if the couple does not have offspring.
For several years (!) the male looks after his bride, visiting the colony from year to year and caring for several females. Every year he narrows the circle of potential partners, until he stops at the only one.
There is only one egg in the albatross clutch: if it is accidentally destroyed, the female lays a second one. Nests are built from nearby plants or earth/peat.
It is interesting! Phoebastria irrorata (Galapagos albatross) does not bother building a nest, preferring to roll the laid egg around the colony. Often, he drives him away to a distance of 50 meters and cannot always ensure safety.
Parents sit on the masonry in turn, not rising from the nest from 1 to 21 days. After the birth of the chicks, the parents keep them warm for another three weeks, feeding them with fish, squid, krill and light oil, which is produced in the bird's stomach.
Small albatrosses make their first flight after 140-170 days, and representatives of the genus Diomedea even later - after 280 days. Having risen on the wing, the chick no longer counts on parental support and can leave its nest.
Do you think that sea waters are home and food for fish and underwater mammals? Here is the albatross - a sea bird that is tied to blue waters so much that it gets out on land only to continue its kind.
It seems that a person has explored all corners of our vast planet, and now observe and list some species in the Red Book. But it turns out that there are many more plant and animal species on Earth that we know very little about.
A wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) next to a small representative of the tube-nosed - the Cape dove. More recently, researchers have been able to study amazing creatures - albatrosses. Far from land, these creatures can be found, they accompany steamships for hours, soar as if tied to them, and do not even flap their wings.
Albatrosses, petrels and ocean dwellers are included in a special order - tube-nosed. All these representatives have a characteristic feature - their nostrils are enclosed in horny tubes. The color of their plumage is light, and the back and ends of the wings are dark. Young albatrosses will have adult "clothes" in their fourth year of life.
Albatrosses nest in the southern hemisphere, outside the nesting period they can be found in all seas with the exception of the Arctic Ocean.
Albatrosses have earned their popularity and quite a bit of notoriety for their wanderlust. They are connected with land only by the period of nesting and reproduction. The rest of the time they hover over the surface of the ocean - they sleep, feed on the water and even drink sea water.
The Galapagos albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) is the only species that breeds at the equator. Appearance of albatrosses
The trumpet-nosed squad is a densely built bird, many of them weigh up to twelve kilograms. Their body is covered with thick plumage, because they deal with water and they need reliable, warm and waterproof "clothes". The wings of albatrosses are long and very narrow, while some are very long.
The largest wandering albatross has a wingspan of 3.7 meters. This is equivalent to the wings of a small single-seat aircraft. The tail is of various shapes and not so big. The beak is small and ends in a curved hook. They have horny protrusions in their mouths that help to hold slippery prey - fish. Their legs are of moderate length, but in some species they are short. A well-developed floating membrane connects the front three fingers. It is almost impossible to distinguish males and females by appearance. The wings of albatrosses are designed in such a way that they allow birds to use air currents rising from the surface of the ocean, so they do not fly, but soar.
Albatrosses are eternal wanderers who do not have a permanent habitat, covering the entire planet with their flights.
Breeding of albatrosses and petrels
Despite such “homelessness”, albatrosses nest in a strictly defined place, where they themselves were born. These are the Hawaiian, Japanese Galapogos and Falkland Islands.
Studies have shown that they are located no more than twenty-two meters from the place where they themselves were born. For birds that have not seen land for years, this is a phenomenal topographic memory and amazing accuracy.
Albatross nests are made on the ground and from the ground or from a pile of grass with a hole in the middle.
Galapagos albatrosses do not build nests at all, they even sometimes roll their eggs in search of a better place.
Birds of different sexes divide the feeding areas of land during nesting. The males of the Tristan albatross fly only to the west in search of food, the female only to the east.
Albatrosses have a very long nesting period - from 140 days for small species to 280 days for a wandering albatross. During this time, the chick molts twice and gains a lot of weight. Finally, the time comes when the parents fly away from the nest forever, and the chick remains perfect alone. He sits for several days or weeks in the nest, then independently goes to the shore, where he will develop wing flaps. The chicks spend all this time on the water and are very vulnerable to sharks.
Albatross nutrition
Different types of albatrosses forage in different places - some near land, others far in the ocean.
And the wandering albatross categorically avoids those places where the depth is less than 1000 meters. But it remains a mystery to everyone - how a bird determines the depth if it gets food only at the surface of the water.
Albatrosses feed on crustaceans, fish, but can also feed on carrion. They track down their prey from the air and grab with their beak right on the fly from the surface of the ocean. Up to twelve meters, albatrosses can dive to a depth in search of food.
The flight speed of albatrosses is from fifty to eighty kilometers per hour. At such high speeds, they can fly around the clock, breaking up to eight hundred kilometers a day.
The researchers tagged albatrosses and learned that they circled the globe in forty-six days.
