Bird Guide

Black-browed Albatross vs Grey-headed Albatross

Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris)

Black-browed Albatross

Thalassarche melanophris

Huge3.2 kgMarine

The black-browed albatross is a medium-sized albatross, at 80 to 95 cm (31–37 in) long with a 200 to 240 cm (79–94 in) wingspan and an average weight of 2.9 to 4.7 kg (6.4–10.4 lb). It can have a natural lifespan of over 70 years. It has a dark grey saddle and upperwings that contrast with the white rump, and underparts. The underwing is predominantly white with broad, irregular, black margins. It has a dark eyebrow and a yellow-orange bill with a darker reddish-orange tip. Juveniles have dark horn-colored bills with dark tips, and a grey head and collar. They also have dark underwings.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Black-browed Albatross
Recorded by Kevin Guille · Call, song · Sourcil Noir, France · CC0
Photo: Ingvild Riska · CC BY 4.0
Grey-headed Albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma)

Grey-headed Albatross

Thalassarche chrysostoma

Huge3.5 kgMarine

The grey-headed albatross averages 81 cm (32 in) in length and 2.2 m (7.2 ft) in wingspan. Weight can range from 2.8 to 4.4 kg (6.2 to 9.7 lb), with a mean mass of 3.65 kg (8.0 lb). It has a dark ashy-grey head, throat, and upper neck, and its upper wings, mantle, and tail, are almost black. It has a white rump, underparts, and a white crescent behind its eyes. Its bill is black, with bright yellow upper and lower ridges, that shades to pink-orange at the tip. Its underwings are white with a lot of black on the leading edge and less on the trailing edge.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Charlotte Kirchner · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-browed Albatross and Grey-headed Albatross.