Bird Guide

Northern Royal Albatross vs Southern Royal 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
Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora)

Southern Royal Albatross

Diomedea epomophora

Huge8.9 kgMarine

The southern royal albatross has a length of 112 to 123 cm (44–48 in) and a mean weight of 8.5 kg (19 lb). At Campbell Island, 11 males were found to have a mean mass of 10.3 kg (23 lb) and 7 females were found to have a mean mass of 7.7 kg (17 lb), thus may be heavier on average than most colonies of wandering albatross. Males are about 2 to 3 kg (4.4 to 6.6 lb) heavier than females. Average wingspan has been reported from 2.9 to 3.28 m (9.5 to 10.8 ft), with an upper limit of about 3.50 m (11.5 ft).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Albatross2147 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: Northern Royal Albatross and Southern Royal Albatross.