Black-browed Albatross
NameBlack-browed Albatross
Common NameBlack-browed Albatross
Scientific NameThalassarche melanophris
FamilyDiomedeidae
Wingspan (cm)220
Length (cm)88
Weight (g)3800
Plumage DetailsAdults have a white head and body, contrasting with a dark greyish-black back and upperwings. A prominent dark stripe extends from the lores through the eye, creating the 'black brow'. The underwings are white with a broad dark leading edge and a narrow dark trailing edge. The bill is yellowish-orange with a distinctive pinkish-orange tip.
Vocalization / CallGenerally silent when at sea, but highly vocal at breeding colonies. They produce a variety of harsh braying, gobbling, and cackling calls, often accompanied by bill-clattering during courtship displays and territorial interactions.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeThe Black-browed Albatross has a circumpolar distribution in the Southern Ocean, ranging widely across sub-Antarctic and temperate waters. Major breeding colonies are found on islands such as the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Chile, Argentina, and various islands around New Zealand.
Identifying FeaturesDark stripe through the eye (black brow), Yellowish-orange bill with a pinkish-orange tip, Dark back and upperwings contrasting with white head and underparts, White underwings with broad dark leading edge, Large size with long, narrow wings
Description
The Black-browed Albatross is a medium-sized albatross characterized by its distinctive dark stripe through the eye, giving it a 'browed' appearance. These pelagic birds spend most of their lives at sea, returning to remote oceanic islands to breed, often forming large, dense colonies on grassy slopes or cliffs.
