Grey headed albatross

“ Grey-Headed Albatross” Ramish Saher

Grey- Headed Albatross

Appearance Medium sized, grey head and neckdark grey back and tail and a white breastThe under wing is white, but with black on

the leading edgeAdult have black bill with bright yellow

ridges Juveniles have a predominantly black bill averages 81 cm (32 in) in length and 2.2 m

(7.2 ft) in wingspan

Etymology

The name chrysostoma is derived from two Greek words.

Khrusos means "gold" and stoma means "the mouth“in reference to its golden bill.

Habitat Are marine and pelagic Seen on land during breeding season Breed on steeps, cliffs and among tussock

grass Out side the breeding season, remains at seaFound in Georgia and New Zealand

TaxonomyKingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordate

Class Aves

Oder Procellariiformes

Family Diomedeidae

Genus Thalassarche

Species chrysostoma

Scientific Name Thalassarche chrysostoma

Common Name(s)Grey-headed Albatross, Grey-headed Mollymawk, goonie birds 

Feeding feeding in the open oceans rather than over

the continental shelvesfeed predominantly on squid, taking also

some fish, crustacean, carrion, cephalopods, and lampreys

They are capable of diving as deep as 7 m (23 ft) to chase prey, but do not do so frequently.

Reproduction A single egg is laid in a large nest, typically

built on steep slopes or cliffs with grass, incubated for 72 daysBreed in September and October

Calls and songsusually silent at seabut it may produce croaking, shrieking and

gargling sounds when feeding in flockson land are accompanied by throaty calls and

bill-clapping

Red List Category

2012- Vulnerable2013- Endangered , with a population of

about 250,000 mature individuals.

Importance heavily hunted for feathers that were used in

the manufacture of women's hats.popular birds for birdwatchers Regular birdwatching trips are taken out of

many coastal towns and cities, like Cape Town

Threats main causes of mortality are long-lines fishing, trawl fisheries, drift netting

and trolling operations. Its habitat is degraded by intense grazing by

introduced European RabbitIngestion of marine debris, oil pollution,

commercial fishing

Conservation Population monitoring and foraging studies

are being undertaken at South GeorgiaPrince Edward Islands are a Special Nature

Reserve.