Light-mantled albatross

Light-mantled albatrosses share some identifying features with other Procellariiformes. They have nasal tubes on the upper bill called naricorns, though with albatrosses these are on the sides of the upper mandible rather than the top. They also have a salt gland above the nasal passage which excretes a concentrated saline solution to maintain osmotic balance, due to the amount of seawater imbibed.[5] The bills of the Procellariiformes are unique in that they are covered with from seven to nine horny plates. These birds produce a stomach oil made up of wax esters and triglycerides that is stored in the proventriculus. This can be sprayed out of their mouths as a defence against predators as well as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights.[6]

The light-mantled albatross is largely sooty-brown or blackish, darker on the head, with paler upperparts from the nape to the upper tail-coverts which are grey to light grey, the palest on the mantle and back. The plumage has been described as being similar in appearance to the colouring of a Siamese cat.[7] The eyes are partly encircled with thin post-orbital crescents of very short grey feathers.[4] The bill is black with a blue sulcus[4][8] and a greyish-yellow line along the lower mandible, and is about 105 mm (4.1 in).[9] Measurements show that males and females are similar in size,[10] with average length of 79 to 89 cm (31–35 in),[8][9][11] wing-span of 183 to 218 cm (72–86 in),[8] and weight of 2.5 to 3.7 kg (5.5–8.2 lb).[4][11][12]

The light-mantled albatross has a circumpolar pelagic distribution in the Southern Ocean. It ranges in latitude from the pack-ice around Antarctica, with the southernmost record from 78°S in the Ross Sea, to about 35°S, with occasional sightings further north along the Humboldt Current. It breeds on several subantarctic islands including the Prince Edward Island, Marion Island, Crozet Islands, Amsterdam Island, St. Paul Island, Kerguelen Islands, Heard Island, Macquarie Island, Campbell Island, Auckland Islands, Antipodes Islands and South Georgia and at least on one island in the maritime Antarctic at 62°S on King George Island.[13] Except when breeding, its habitat is entirely marine,[11] and it will forage from the edges of the Antarctic pack-ice to about 40°S.[4] When foraging during the breeding season, the birds will remain closer to their nest sites.[9]

They have a loud shrill voice that is trumpet-like, and when threatened will snap their bills or utilize a throaty "gaaaa".[9] When courting, they will utilize aerial displays and formation flying. They will also use mutual calling with deviations in tone brought occurring by head positioning, and finally, they use their tail in displays more than other albatrosses.[4]

Light-mantled albatross sitting on nest

Light-mantled albatross, head detail

The light-mantled albatross population is estimated at about 58,000, from a 1998 estimate, and is declining.[9] Threats and population status are poorly quantified and the species is classified as near threatened,[1][12] with an occurrence range of 44,300,000 km² (17,100,000 sq mi).[9]

Potential predators on some breeding islands are giant petrels, feral cats and rodents. At sea they are threatened by bycatch in the longline fishery and through starvation by eating plastic marine debris.

• American Ornithologists' Union (1998) [1983]. "Procellariiformes: Diomedeidae: Albatrosses" (PDF). Check-list of North American Birds (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union . pp. 10–11. ISBN 1-891276-00-X.
• BirdLife International (2008). "Light-mantled Albatross - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Data Zone. Retrieved 12 Mar 2009.
• Brands, Sheila (14 Aug 2008). "Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification - Genus Phoebetria -". Project: The Taxonomicon. Retrieved 22 Feb 2009.
• Davies, J. N.; Marchant, S.; Higgins, P. J. (1991). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Vol. 1: Ratites to Ducks. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press. pp. 347–353. ISBN 0-19-553244-9.
• Double, M. C. (2003). "Procellariiformes (Tubenosed Seabirds)". In Hutchins, Michael; Jackson, Jerome A.; Bock, Walter J.; Olendorf, Donna (eds.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins. Joseph E. Trumpey, Chief Scientific Illustrator (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 107–111. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0.
• Dunn, Jon L.; Alderfer, Jonathan (2006). "Accidentals, Extinct Species". In Levitt, Barbara (ed.). National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (fifth ed.). Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society. p. 466. ISBN 978-0-7922-5314-3.
• Ehrlich, Paul R.; Dobkin, David, S.; Wheye, Darryl (1988). The Birders Handbook (First ed.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. pp. 29–31. ISBN 0-671-65989-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Harrison, C.; Greensmith, A. (1993). Bunting, E. (ed.). Birds of the World. New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley. p. 49. ISBN 1-56458-295-7.
• Kerkove, B.; Lindsay, A. (2008). "Phoebetria palpebrata". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 21 Jan 2009.
• Lisovski, S.; Pavel, W.; Weidinger, K.; Peter, H.-U. (2009). "First breeding record of the light-mantled sooty albatross (Phebetria palpebrata) for the maritime Antarctic" (PDF). Polar Biology. 32 (12): 1811–1813. doi:10.1007/s00300-009-0705-3. S2CID 35718020.
• Pizzey, Graham; Knight, Frank (2003). Menkhorst, Peter (ed.). The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (7th ed.). Sydney, Australia: HarperCollins. p. 88.
• Robertson, C. J. R. (2003). "Albatrosses (Diomedeidae)". In Hutchins, Michael; Jackson, Jerome A.; Bock, Walter J.; Olendorf, Donna (eds.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins. Joseph E. Trumpey, Chief Scientific Illustrator (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 119–120. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0.

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• Species factsheet - BirdLife International
• Photos - Christopher Taylor Nature Photography