Page 388 - (DK) Ocean - The Definitive Visual Guide

386 ANIMAL LIFE

ORDER PROCELLARIIFORMES This dark-coloured sea bird is often
seen in summer off North America’s
Black-footed west coast. One of three species of
albatross found in the north Pacific,
Albatross its dark underwings distinguish it from
the other two. It is fond of scavenging,
Phoebastria nigripes
and often follows trawlers and
LENGTH 68–74cm shrimping boats to catch discarded
(27–29in)
offal. Black-footed Albatrosses breed
WEIGHT 3–3.5kg in colonies on islands in the central
3
(6 1 / 2 –7 / 4 lb)
and western Pacific. Like other
HABITAT Open ocean, albatrosses, they perform elaborate
atolls, isolated islands
courtship displays. All albatrosses are
DISTRIBUTION North Pacific, Johnston Island and monogamous, pairing up to breed
Marshall Islands
with the same partner each autumn.
HUMAN IMPACT
LONG-LINE FISHING
The Black-footed Albatross is a
frequent victim of long-line fishing,
which involves trailing lines that
carry thousands of baited hooks.
Albatrosses swallow the bait and
become caught. Long-line fishing
is estimated to kill at least 300,000
sea birds of all kinds each year.
VICTIM OF DROWNING
Albatrosses usually swallow their food whole, so
long-line hooks become lodged in their stomachs
and drag the birds underwater to drown.

ORDER PROCELLARIIFORMES ORDER PROCELLARIIFORMES
Short-tailed Albatross Light-mantled
Sooty Albatross
Phoebastria albatrus
LENGTH 84–94cm
Phoebetria palpebrata
(33–37in)
LENGTH 79–98cm
WEIGHT 3–5kg
(6 1 / 2 –11lb) (31–39in)
WEIGHT 2.5–4.5kg
HABITAT Remote islands (5–10lb)
(breeding); open ocean
HABITAT Remote islands
DISTRIBUTION North Pacific, Tori Shima Island and (breeding); open ocean
Senkaku Islands
ORDER GAVIIFORMES plumage is replaced by less eye- DISTRIBUTION Southern Ocean, isolated islands in
south Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean
catching shades of brownish black This north Pacific albatross almost
Great Northern and grey. Like other divers, it has a became extinct during the early 1900s
streamlined body, small wings, and due to demand for its feathers. By Together with its close relative the
Diver webbed feet set far back – a feature 1950, only about 20 birds were left. Sooty Albatross, this is one of two
that makes it clumsy on land. On Thanks to conservation measures, the southern albatrosses that have sooty
water, it is far more graceful. It floats population now stands at nearly 2,000, brown plumage, as opposed to white
Gavia immer
LENGTH 70–90cm with its bill held at a characteristic all breeding on remote islands in the and black. The Sooty Albatross is
(28–35in)
upward slant and can dive to depths far west of its range. Adults are mostly brown all over, but the Light-mantled
WEIGHT 3–4.5kg of over 75m (250ft) to catch fish – white, with black flight feathers, pink species has a pale grey nape and back
(6 1 / 2 –10lb)
its principal food. bills, and golden-yellow heads. – the feature that gives it its name.
HABITAT Freshwater During the summer months, Great A graceful glider, it feeds on fish,
lakes (breeding); coasts
Northern Divers usually live in pairs, squid, and crustaceans. It is also highly
DISTRIBUTION Northern North America, Greenland, carrying out spectacular courtship inquisitive and often follows ships.
Iceland, Europe, north Pacific, north Atlantic
OCEAN LIFE This striking bird is best known for sheltered coasts, where there is less risk the start of the southern spring.
After spending the winter at sea, it
displays. When the breeding season
comes to an end, they migrate to
returns to its breeding sites by August,
Female birds lay a single egg in early
of icing. In North America, flocks of
its haunting cry, which echoes across
several hundred often gather on the
summer, and the chicks become
freshwater lakes during the summer
breeding season. During the winter,
Great Lakes, before heading south as
independent about four months
after they hatch – a relatively rapid
the same bird is a common visitor in
far as the coast of Florida. In Europe,
coastal waters, although at this time
development compared with that
they winter on Atlantic coasts,
dispersing as far south as Portugal.
of the larger albatrosses.
of year its black-and-white breeding