Northern Royal Albatross

Species endangered, restricted to a tiny breeding range. Projected declines suggest a reduction of >50% in three generations (84 years); poor breeding success resulting from a significant decrease in habitat quality.

Diomedea epomophora (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) split into D.epomophora and D.sanfordi following Robertson and Nunn (1998) and Brooke (2004).

White head, body, tail distinguish adults from Wandering Albatross, D.exulans, which also lacks dark line on bill. All ages, light pink bill, black cutting edge on upper mandible, legs flesh. Southern Royal Albatross, D. epomophora  lacks black band at leading edge of underwing and white areas at leading edge of upperwing.

With a wing span of 3 metres and flight speeds of 115+ mph these birds, the world’s largest seabird, are elegance itself in the air, but clumsy on land. Airborne, Albatross are highly efficient using dynamic and slope soaring to cover great distance with little effort

Breeds on Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsula, and on the Chatham and Auckland Islands; non-breeding birds undertake circumpolar traverses in the Southern Ocean flying eastwards across the Pacific. Breeding adults typically forage over the Chatham Rise feeding mainly on cephalopods, (octopus, squid), fish, salps, crustacea and carrion.

Male and female albatross share the chick rearing equally, raising one chick every two years, which bird matures at six years. Albatross live about 45 years, but ‘Grandma’ raised her last chick at age 62.

Pair bonds between males and females form over several years, using ritualised dances and the bonds will last for the life of the pair.

Mortality due to longline fishing may be a future threat to this species as 80% of their life is spent at sea.