Bird Guide

Northern Royal Albatross vs Snowy Albatross

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
Snowy Albatross (Diomedea exulans)

Snowy Albatross

Diomedea exulans

Huge7.0 kgMarine

The plumage varies with age, with the juveniles starting chocolate brown. As they age they become whiter. The adults have white bodies with white and black wings. Males have whiter wings than females, with just the tips and trailing edges of the wings black. The snowy albatross is the whitest of the wandering albatross species complex, the other species having a great deal more brown and black on the wings and body, very closely resembling immature wandering albatrosses. The large bill is pink, as are the feet.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

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