The snowy albatross (Diomedea exulans) is a large seabird that can grow to considerable sizes and spends much of its life soaring over the oceans.

Taxonomy and Morphological Characteristics

The snowy albatross is a member of the animal kingdom (Animalia), the bird class (Aves), the order (Procellariiformes), and the albatross family. Its scientific name, Diomedea exulans, was given by Linnaeus in 1758.

Reaching a length of approximately 115 cm, this species has a variable plumage that whitens with age. Juveniles are mostly chocolate brown with a white facial mask and black-tipped white underwings. As adults, the back, crown, and rump become white, with a white wedge forming at the center of the upper wing.

^{About the Snowy Albatross ( BBC Earth )}

Geographic Distribution and Breeding Areas

The snowy albatross has a wide circumpolar distribution around the Southern Ocean, between subantarctic and subtropical waters. Breeding colonies occur on isolated islands such as South Georgia (Georgias del Sur), the Prince Edward Islands (South Africa), the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), and Macquarie Island (Australia). Non-breeding birds and juveniles may migrate across the Indian Ocean to wintering grounds along the southern and eastern coasts of Australia.

Reproduction

The snowy albatross has a prolonged and intensive breeding biology; these birds usually start breeding from the age of 9 to 11 years and are biennial due to the length of the cycle, often postponing the next breeding period for a year to recover their energy, whether successful or unsuccessful.

They nest in sparse colonies on isolated islands in the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica, on slopes suitable for takeoff. The female lays a single egg, while the parents take turns incubating for about 11 weeks. Caring for the young is demanding for the parents, as they undertake long foraging flights over the ocean, reaching distances of up to 15,000 kilometers (9,000 miles) and may feed their young only every two to three days, on average. The young receive intensive care and consume large amounts of food during a long period of approximately 260 to 300 days before they are ready to leave the nest.

These birds almost never return to land except during breeding season and spend the rest of their lives gliding through the stormy waters of the Southern Ocean.

Population Status and Threats

This species population is generally declining. Past and projected future declines in the total population have caused the species to decline rapidly over three generations, placing it in the Vulnerable category. South Georgia has experienced a decline for over 70 years. Longline fishing is thought to be the primary driver of the species' decline, reducing adult survival and juvenile recruitment. Additionally, attacks on nestlings by invasive species such as cats (Felis catus) and mice (Mus musculus) in breeding colonies, and changes in ocean habitats due to global climate change, are also threats.

Conservation Efforts

The snowy albatross is listed on Appendix II of the CMS and Appendix I of the ACAP. Measures that have reduced bycatch of albatrosses off South Georgia by more than 99% have been implemented by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Prince Edward Island has been designated a special nature reserve, and Macquarie Island has been designated a World Heritage Site.