Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross

The Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross, Thalassarche chlororhynchos, is a member of the albatross family Diomedeidae. This elegant seabird, with an average length of 81 cm, is a smaller representative of the mollymawks. It is adorned with a grey head and a distinctive large eye patch, while the nape and hindneck are a pristine white. The bill is a striking black with a yellow ridge, known as the culminicorn, and a subtle pink tip.

Identification Tips

Upon observing this species, one will notice its blackish-grey saddle, tail, and upperwing, contrasting with the predominantly white underparts. The underwing and primaries exhibit a narrow black margin. Juveniles resemble adults but feature a white head and entirely black bill. The Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross can be distinguished from its relative, the Indian yellow-nosed albatross, by its darker head and from other mollymawks by its smaller size, particularly the narrow wings, and the thin black edging on the underwing.

Habitat

The Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross is a bird of the open ocean, only coming ashore to breed. It nests on remote islands in the mid-Atlantic.

Distribution

This species breeds on the islands of Tristan da Cunha, including Inaccessible Island, Middle Island, Nightingale Island, Stoltenhoff Island, and Gough Island. At sea, they can be found traversing the southern Atlantic from South America to Africa, between latitudes 15°S and 45°S.

Behaviour

The Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross is known to feed both during the day and at night. It is a colonial breeder, with a unique nesting preference for building its mud, peat, feather, and vegetation nests within scrubs or atop cliffs, often amongst Blechnum tree ferns.

Breeding

Breeding season commences in September or early October. The species constructs pedestal nests to lay a single egg, and the chick takes flight for the first time from late March to April. They are known to breed annually.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross as Endangered. The population is estimated to be between 55,000 and 83,200 adult birds, with trends indicating a potential decline of 50% over 72 years. The primary threat to this species is longline fishing, although direct harvesting is now illegal. Conservation efforts include population monitoring on Gough Island, which, along with Inaccessible Island, is a nature preserve and a World Heritage Site. Remote tracking and counting are also in place for the Tristan da Cunha population, and the South East Atlantic Fisheries Commission has implemented measures to mitigate bycatch from fishing activities.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross consists of squid, fish, cuttlefish, and crustacea. They have adapted to hunt at night, possibly to avoid competition and predation.