Bird Guide

Antipodean Albatross vs Northern Royal Albatross

Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis)

Antipodean Albatross

Diomedea antipodensis

Huge7.0 kgMarine

The Antipodean is large, at 110 cm (43 in) in length. Its breeding plumage is brown and white and its juveniles are similar in appearance to the snowy albatross. Breeding females have brown upper parts, and have white vermiculations on their back. Its face, throat, lower breast, and belly are white, and its undertail coverts are brown. Its underwings are also white, but with a dark tip.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mark Fraser · CC0
Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi)

Northern Royal Albatross

Diomedea sanfordi

Huge8.9 kgMarine

The northern royal albatross is typically about 115 cm (45 in) tall, weighs 6.2 to 8.2 kg (14–18 lb), and has a wingspan from 270 to 305 cm (106–120 in). The juvenile has a white head, neck, upper mantle, rump, and underparts. There is dark speckling on the crown and rump. Its lower mantle and back are white with more black speckling than the crown, and it has dark black-brown upper wings with white flecks on its coverts. Its tail is white with a black-brown tip, as are its underwings. There is a black band behind the leading edge of its wings between the carpal joint and the tip.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Northern Royal Albatross
Recorded by Oscar Thomas · Song · Taiaroa Head, Dunedin City, Otago Region, New Zealand · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Antipodean Albatross and Northern Royal Albatross.