The Majestic Endangered Albatross Bird (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

From BBC Earth:

A bird that lives as long in legends as it does life: The Albatross remains one of most majestic of all of the Antarctic birds.

This rather stunning bird can be traced as far back as the time of the first modern mammals, over 50 million years. And with an average life span of 50 years that's a lot of birds.

Though as a species they aren't so lucky, endangered the world over mostly as a result of human practices. These birds have come to be greatly respected, and have even become symbols of luck. Whether it is harboring the sacred soul of a dead sailor or filling a ship's sails with wind to aid its progress; you do not have to look far to realise why it is so special.

As one of the largest flying birds, the albatross has one of the largest wingspans of any bird still alive today at an incredible 11ft.

The number of albatross species is hotly debated, ranging between 13 and 24 species groups, the classification process involving their size, legs and arrangement of the nasal tubes all come into play when defining what really constitutes an albatross. One thing is for certain; their life in the air is quite unique.

Some birds struggle to overcome high winds during rough weather, but the albatross thrives on it. With an impressive wingspan of 11ft and skills such as 'dynamic' and 'slope' soaring, these birds are able to retain a heart rate close to resting when taking on the rugged seascapes, in fact they are so well suited to this not only do they sleep while flying they only come to land to breed.
This video shows you just how the adult albatross use their flying skills for a very valuable purpose. Gathering enough food for their newborns, no matter how long or far it takes them.

It may only take the young albatross within three to ten months to be brave enough to take on life in the air, but once it is there it may leave land for up to ten years before returning themselves to begin their mature lives and meet a mate.

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Comments

[levresamant]

06:11 AM on 02/15/2011

All around you the human infestation on this planet grows and all other species dwindle or face extinction. What a wonderful world it will be with tens of billions of too many humans around you and nothing else hey? Humans are the single most vile and destructive species on this planet.

[MerryW]

11:55 AM on 02/13/2011

An Interesting article. Such a unique bird.

[Kassandra]

09:50 AM on 02/12/2011

What about the albatross around your neck thing?
And these birds are endangered too? What ISN'T endangered?

[MerryW]

11:58 AM on 02/13/2011

"What about the albatross around your neck thing?"
If you kill something that brings you good things then you must wear the dead thing around your neck until it rots away.
Too remind you that what goes around comes around, your actions have consequences.

[birdlady5]

03:00 PM on 02/11/2011

While I liked the article and the pictures there needs to be a bit more distinction between species. Not all Albatross have 11ft wingspans, most are smaller. It's the Wandering Albatross that has the 11ft wingspan.

[Imago1122]

12:57 AM on 02/12/2011

Hi. It's nice to come across someone who has an inkling on these birds. Ever since I've been young, I have been fascinated by them.

As far as albatrosses go, the two great albatrosses, the Wanderer and the Royal rival each other in size, the southernmost forms of both species being roughly equal across most measurements, with the Wanderer males slightly heavier. However the Royal across the board seems to consistently boast the slightly larger wingspan. By this I mean that its two subspecies sport impressive length of wings, whereas only the southernmost form of the Wanderer, probably the most peripatetic of these legendary long distance travelers, and the most famous, reaches such wingspans.

You are right; as a group, most members of this family of birds do not sport such huge wings, though still on average the majority of albatross would dwarf other birds.

Cheers!

[Just4theHalibut]

11:52 AM on 02/12/2011

Also article could mention that there are a couple arctic species as well. In fact I thought the picture might be of a short-tailed because of pink beak, then did a little research and found to my surprise "The bills of the ‘great’ albatrosses - wandering and royal - can change from bright pink to
white as blood vessels beneath the bill constrict or dilate." Wow!

[Imago1122]

02:21 PM on 02/12/2011

Hello Halibut,

I'm always pleased when I find someone else who takes an interest in these unusual birds.

To the best of my knowledge, albatross are practically non-existent in the arctic, or the Northern Hemisphere. You see, they require the "wind autobahns" that eternally encircle the southern oceans for their kind of soaring flight. In windless conditions, you might find them preferring to loaf on becalmed seas. The band of relatively calm weather known as the doldrums prevents them from accessing the Northern Hemisphere, though vagrants have occasionally been reported (re: Albert, the lonely albatross who visited islands off the UK for decades, if I recall.).

The one species, the Waved, near the equator, in the Galapagos, flaps a little more than most others because again the wind conditions in its habitat are less than ideal.

And you are right: the Short-tailed undergoes a dramatic morphology change through fledgling-juvenile-mature adult, leaving the nest chocolate brown like Wanderers. You will distinguish it at sea, though, because it would be the largest albatross in the N. Pacific.

It's case history is sad: it was thought extinct, as you may know, but is making a slow, but precarious recovery. Its nesting grounds are on active volcanic islands off Japan.

However, some juveniles have recently been spotted "checking out" Midway and other islands for potential nesting spots. Here's hoping a new insurance colony can form there before it is too late.
:)

[Birdblogger]

01:43 PM on 02/11/2011

You might like these albatross images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrinebirdphoto/3310688047

This is the rare Chatham Island Albatross
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrinebirdphoto/3317990512

and this a Wandering Albatross taken at Kaikoura in NZ where the first image in the artcile was taken.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrinebirdphoto/3313078071

[eyelashviper]

08:08 PM on 02/11/2011

Wonderful photos, thank you! Fanned for being a bird lover.

[Hardyman1966]

10:46 AM on 02/11/2011

ALBATROSS!!!  :)  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrqW_BZu5Xk

(NSFW!)

[Mensch99]

10:40 AM on 02/11/2011

And a good south wind sprung up behind:
The Albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariners' hollo!

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perch'd for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmer'd the white moonshine.'

'God save thee, ancient Mariner,
From the fiends, that plague thee thus!--
Why look'st thou so? ----'With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross.'