They have a black bill with an orange trim
This is a bird I might never see again. It is an endangered bird called an Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross. This photograph was taken from a boat just offshore of Eastern Egg Rock Island in Maine. This was a vagrant sighting, meaning an isolated individual seen out of its typical range. Although I saw this bird in Maine, its typical range is off the coasts of South America and Africa, between 15 degrees South and 45 degrees South. This individual Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross was thousands of miles from his friends.
Their distinct bill makes them easy to identify. They have a black bill with an orange trim. The tip of their bill is pink. They sport an “eye patch” or dark area around their eye. They have webbed feet, which not only help them swim, they also aid in taking off from the water. Notice in the photo below how the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross is able to funnel water through its webbed feet to control the propulsion. This helps the large bird get airborne quicker.
Unfortunately, Atlantic yellow-nosed Albatross are considered Endangered. This is partially due to the fact that they do not reach sexual maturity until around ten years old. Breeding generally occurs every other year, and females will only lay one egg. Additionally, long line fishing is a big threat to this species. In long line fishing, baited hooks are set at different depths (depending on the what you are attempting to catch). The albatross sees these from above and dives for the baited hooks.
This bird is an apex predator. The Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross can reach speeds over 100 miles per hour (for short bursts). This species tends to not have many natural predators. This is due to a few factors. Their breeding grounds are very remote and they tend to only be on land during breeding season, spending most of their time in the air over the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, once the albatross chick first takes flight it generally wont return to land for up to five years!
Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross can reach speeds over 100 miles per hour (for short bursts)
Did you know?
- Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross can live up to 60 years!
- These birds can glide for miles without flapping their wings.
- The most recent population estimate I could find showed 55,000-83,200 Atlantic yellow-nosed albatrosses in the world (2001).
- Although this Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross was alone, they do form colonies during the breeding season.
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