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Albatrosses


A Wandering Albatross soars above the waves on six-foot (two-meter) wings, and seldom comes to land. (Photo by J. Nishikawa, University of Tokyo)

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A Wandering Albatross soars above the waves on six-foot (two-meter) wings, and seldom comes to land. (Photo by Jun Nishikawa, University of Tokyo)

Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in the world, and they fly some of the longest distances in the world. Most albatrosses come to shore only every few years; they spend their entire lives circling the Southern Ocean, either in the air or on the water’s surface. There are several species of albatross, and the largest is the Wandering Albatross, which is famous for sometimes following ships, and for the long over-ocean flights it makes on its long wings. Wandering Albatrosses weigh about 18 pounds (8 kilograms), about the weight of a large cat. But their wingspan can be 11 feet (3 meters). Albatrosses feed on fish, squid, and lots of krill, and they are sometimes caught in fishing lines near the surface. If not caught or eaten, they live very long lives, sometimes exceeding 50 years.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves


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