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Albatrosses

Albatrosses are large seabirds with exceptionally long, narrow wings and strong hooked bills bearing tubular nostrils on the sides. White, black, grey and brown areas vary with species and age, while bill colour and fine head markings can be crucial distinctions. Examples include Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi), Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), and Sooty Albatross (Phoebetria fusca). They range widely over the ocean, taking squid, fish and other food while using wind to glide efficiently. Several gliding turns reveal the proportions of the bill and long wings, together with changing views of the underwing pattern.

How to recognize Albatrosses

  • Look for very long, narrow wings during sustained gliding.
  • Compare bill colour and the placement of dark head markings.
  • Allow for age differences in white plumage and check the ocean region.

Where they live

The family occurs in the Southern Ocean and adjoining seas, the northern Pacific and parts of the eastern tropical Pacific. Open seas are their principal feeding environment, while breeding brings birds back to islands or a small number of coastal sites. Oceanographic conditions and seasonal movements influence sightings, and individual species occupy different parts of the world's marine regions. Compare age-related plumage and the ocean region before using a general black-and-white pattern to choose an albatross name.

Species accounts: Northern Royal Albatross · Waved Albatross · Sooty Albatross

Sources — natural history: Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand: albatrosses · Cornell Birds of the World: Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi), species natural history.

Classification: IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.

Some Cornell Birds of the World account sections require a subscription.

Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.

Explore similarities in appearance, feeding and habitat. These comparisons do not necessarily indicate the closest evolutionary relatives.

Species records retain their original English, Chinese and scientific names.

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Northern Royal AlbatrossNorthern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea sanfordiSouthern Royal AlbatrossSouthern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophoraSnowy AlbatrossSnowy AlbatrossDiomedea exulansTristan AlbatrossTristan AlbatrossDiomedea dabbenenaAntipodean AlbatrossAntipodean AlbatrossDiomedea antipodensisAmsterdam AlbatrossAmsterdam AlbatrossDiomedea amsterdamensisWaved AlbatrossWaved AlbatrossPhoebastria irrorataLaysan AlbatrossLaysan AlbatrossPhoebastria immutabilisBlack-footed AlbatrossBlack-footed AlbatrossPhoebastria nigripesShort-tailed AlbatrossShort-tailed AlbatrossPhoebastria albatrusSooty AlbatrossSooty AlbatrossPhoebetria fuscaLight-mantled AlbatrossLight-mantled AlbatrossPhoebetria palpebrataAtlantic Yellow-nosed AlbatrossAtlantic Yellow-nosed AlbatrossThalassarche chlororhynchosIndian Yellow-nosed AlbatrossIndian Yellow-nosed AlbatrossThalassarche carteriGrey-headed AlbatrossGrey-headed AlbatrossThalassarche chrysostomaBuller's AlbatrossBuller's AlbatrossThalassarche bulleriShy AlbatrossShy AlbatrossThalassarche cautaSalvin's AlbatrossSalvin's AlbatrossThalassarche salviniChatham AlbatrossChatham AlbatrossThalassarche eremitaBlack-browed AlbatrossBlack-browed AlbatrossThalassarche melanophrisCampbell AlbatrossCampbell AlbatrossThalassarche impavida