Laysan Albatross
Phoebastria immutabilis
The Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) is a uncommon albatross found in 7 countries, weighing about 3.1 kg. The Laysan albatross is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific.
About the Laysan Albatross
The Laysan albatross is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are home to 99.7% of the population. This small gull-like albatross is the second-most common seabird in the Hawaiian Islands, with an estimated population of 1.18 million birds, and is currently expanding its range to new islands. The Laysan albatross was first described as Diomedea immutabilis by Lionel Walter Rothschild, in 1893, on the basis of a specimen from Laysan Island.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Laysan albatross averages 81 cm (32 in) in length and has a wingspan of 195 to 203 cm (77–80 in). Males, which weigh 2.4 to 4.1 kg (5.3–9.0 lb), are larger than females, which weigh 1.9 to 3.6 kg (4.2–7.9 lb). This albatross has blackish-gray upperwing, mantle, back, upper rump, and tail, and its head, lower rump, and underparts are white. It has a black smudge around the eye, and its underwing pattern varies between individuals, with some having narrower black margins and variable amounts of black in the underwing coverts. Finally, the bill is pink with a dark tip.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Laysan Albatross?
- The Laysan albatross averages 81 cm (32 in) in length and has a wingspan of 195 to 203 cm (77–80 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Laysan Albatross?
- The Laysan Albatross is a huge sized bird weighing about 3.1 kg.
- Where can you see a Laysan Albatross?
- The Laysan Albatross occurs in 7 countries, including the United States, Mexico, Japan, Russia and Guam.
- What birds look similar to a Laysan Albatross?
- The Laysan Albatross is most easily confused with the Waved Albatross, the Short-tailed Albatross and the Black-footed Albatross.
- Is the Laysan Albatross endangered?
- The Laysan Albatross is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Laysan Albatross for real
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