Bird Guide

Black-browed Albatross vs Salvin's 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
Salvin's Albatross (Thalassarche salvini)

Salvin's Albatross

Thalassarche salvini

Huge3.9 kgMarine

Salvin's albatross is about 90 cm (35 in) and 2.56 m (8.4 ft) across the wings. It weighs 3.3–4.9 kg (7.3–10.8 lb) and is, alongside the shy albatross, the largest of the mollymawk or small albatross group. The adult bird has a silver-grey crown. Its face, upper throat, and upper mantle are grey, and its back, upperwing, and tail are grey-black. It has a white rump and underparts with a black thumbmark on underwing and black narrow leading and trailing edges on the wing and black wing tips.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mjobling at English Wikipedia · Public domain

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 Salvin's Albatross.