White-Capped Albatross (Thalassarche cauta)

This magnificent flyer spends the majority of its time at sea, soaring on strong winds, or resting on the water's surface (4). It feeds on fish, squid and crustaceans, plucked from the ocean, and will often gather in flocks behind fishing vessels to scavenge (6). Breeding occurs between September and December. The nests are conical mounds, built from mud, bones, bird droppings, plant matter and rocks (4) (7). In these nests a pair of albatross, which mate for life, lay a single egg each year which is incubated for 68 to 75 days (2). Whilst nesting, the parents are very territorial and will defend their nest aggressively (4). Both parents take turns in feeding and rearing the chick for nearly five months before it fledges (4). The juvenile then spends at least three years at sea, before returning to land to find a life-mate, and begin breeding annually (6). Shy albatross can live for up to 40 years (8).

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