Antipodean Albatross

The Antipodean albatross, known to the Māori as Toroa, is a majestic seabird of the albatross family. This species, with its impressive wingspan, is slightly smaller than the snowy albatross and is adorned with predominantly brown plumage throughout its life, contrasting with the snowy albatross which lightens with age.

Identification Tips

To identify the Antipodean albatross, look for a bird measuring about 110 cm in length. Breeding females exhibit brown upper parts with white vermiculations on the back, while their face, throat, lower breast, and belly are white, and the undertail coverts are brown. The underwings are white with dark tips. Males are generally whiter than females but retain a pink bill. The nominate race females have a distinctive dark brown breast band, and males have a darker cap, tail, and humeral flexure compared to the gibsoni subspecies.

Habitat

These albatrosses are known to nest on ridges, slopes, or plateaus, sometimes in the open or within patchy vegetation such as tussock grassland.

Distribution

The Antipodean albatross breeds on the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, and Campbell Island. At sea, they can be found across the South Pacific, from Australia to Chile, and from the Tropic of Capricorn southwards. The gibsoni subspecies tends to range east of Auckland Island, while the nominate race is found eastward to Chile.

Behaviour

Antipodean albatrosses feed predominantly on cephalopods and, to a lesser extent, fish. They do not typically consume crustaceans. These birds have been observed at the spawning grounds of the giant cuttlefish off New South Wales.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the Antipodean albatross as Endangered. The breeding population is declining, with threats including predation by pigs and feral cats on Auckland Island and the impacts of longline fishing. Climate change, such as rising sea temperatures, may also affect the gibsoni subspecies. Conservation efforts include banding and satellite tracking, eradication of invasive species on breeding islands, and collaboration with fisheries to mitigate bycatch.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet consists mainly of cephalopods and fish, with a noted absence of crustaceans, which is unusual for albatross species. They are known to visit the spawning grounds of the giant cuttlefish, indicating a preference for these areas during certain seasons.

In the voice of the natural world, we observe the Antipodean albatross, a creature of the winds and waves, whose future we must ensure through our dedicated conservation efforts.