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Laysan Albatross

Silhouette SeabirdsSeabirds
Laysan AlbatrossPhoebastria immutabilis
  • ORDER: Procellariiformes
  • FAMILY: Diomedeidae

Basic Description

One of the most marvelous sights in the Pacific ocean is the graceful glide of a Laysan Albatross at play among the winds and waves. These expert soarers can travel hundreds of miles per day with barely a wingbeat. They nest on islands of the tropical Pacific, but they may head out to Japan, the Aleutian Islands, or California to feed. Laysan Albatrosses are numerous, though they face threats from longline fishing, plastic trash in the ocean, and predation by dogs, rats, and cats.

More ID Info
image of range map for Laysan Albatross
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

Laysan Albatrosses are pelagic birds of the open Pacific Ocean. Your best bet for finding one off the continental United States is to take a pelagic birding trip from the West Coast. Note that you are more likely to see Black-footed Albatrosses, but Laysan Albatrosses are fairly regularly seen as well. If you are in Hawaii, there are breeding populations on Oahu and Kauai where you can see the birds from land if you visit in the appropriate months (roughly November to July).

Other Names

  • Albatros de Laysan (Spanish)
  • Albatros de Laysan (French)
  • Cool Facts