Wandering Albatross: Soaring

Gliding vast distances across the seas, Wandering Albatross has the longest wingspan of any living bird (11 feet (3 meters)). Roaming the Southern Ocean, She floats on updrafts with her long narrow wings. Turning into the wind, Wandering Albatross soars on the currents. Using the wind’s energy, She rises up and then coasts downward, saving her strength with her dynamic soaring.

Swooping low over wave tops, Wandering Albatross settles on the sea’s surface for eating. As She sits on the water with her folded wings, Wandering Albatross dabbles for Squid and Cuttlefish. After scooping up Octopus with her huge bill, She rises again with the wind.

Only on land is Wandering Albatross clumsy. Nicknamed “Gooney Bird”, She makes untidy take offs and landings. When landing, She often crashes into a breeding colony. While walking, Wandering Albatross often trips over her huge feet.

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copyright: Virginia Carper Animal Teachers

Teachings of the Albatross Family: Limitless Blessings

(Photo copyrighted by The Royal Albatross Colony)

Lords of the ocean skies, Albatrosses are rarely seen on land, preferring the life on the open ocean. Since They contained the souls of lost comrades, many sailors revered these birds. In addition, many cultures venerated Albatrosses because of their ability for continuous flying.

Dynamic flyers, They soar in the skies taking advantage of the ocean winds. Looping in a roller-coaster fashion, Albatrosses expend little energy while flying. Spreading their winds to the wind, off They go on their travels.

There are four groups of Albatrosses. The Great Whites are known for their huge size and white coloring. Named by Dutch sailors, Mollymawks (“foolish gull”) resemble Gulls. Instead of the sub-Antarctic islands, the North Pacific Albatrosses live near the equator. Named for their dark plumages, Sooties live close to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

For life at sea, Albatrosses developed a unique beak called a tubenose. Their tubular nostrils on either side of their beaks enable Them to smell food. Also the grooves from their nostrils excrete excess salt that these Birds may ingest while eating at sea.

Going only land to breed, Albatrosses encounter lots of their Friends there. Often loud, noisy places, their colonies are full of courting and feeding Birds. Closely packed in, Breeding Pairs often number into the thousands. (Only Sooties nest in solitary places.) However Albatrosses breed very slowly, only laying one egg every other year.

Well equipped for life at sea, Albatrosses know no boundaries. They carry the souls of dead mariners to the heavens. They travel the oceans sailing on the winds. Let Albatrosses bring you limitless blessings. Just remember to come to land once in awhile to stay grounded.

Science Note: Related to Shearwaters and Petrels.

The Royal Albatross Colony at Taiaroa Head, on the tip of the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand, is the only mainland breeding colony for any albatross species found in the southern hemisphere.

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copyright: Virginia Carper Animal Teachers