Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 25.2–29.1 in
64–74 cm - Wingspan
- 76–85 in
193–216 cm - Weight
- 77.6–151.7 oz
2200–4300 g
Other Names
- Albatros à pattes noires (French)
- Albatros pies negros (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Black-footed Albatross has a keen sense of smell, which it uses to locate food across vast expanses of ocean.
- The Black-footed Albatross drinks seawater and excretes excess salt through glands above the eyes.
- The Black-footed Albatross has a number of apparent adaptations to stay cool at hot, exposed nest sites. These include an extensive network of blood vessels in the head, as well as a habit of raising the feet off the ground.
Habitat
Ocean
Nests in sandy areas on islands. Spends nonbreeding season on open ocean.
Food
Fish
Mostly flying fish eggs; also squid, adult flying fish, and crustaceans, as well as scraps thrown from ships.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1 eggs
- Egg Description
- White, with brown speckling at the larger end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Downy and helpless, eyes open.
Nest Description
Nest is a scrape in the sand.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Dabbler
Pair bond is formed and maintained through various displays, including bill-touching and head-shaking.Feeds while swimming on the surface.
Conservation
Vulnerable
Drift nets kill large numbers of Black-footed Albatrosses (4,426 deaths documented in 1990). Also vulnerable to oil pollution of marine waters.
Credits
- Whittow, G. Causey. 1993. Black-footed Albatross (Diomedea nigripes). In The Birds of North America, No. 65 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.