Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross illustration
Birdsong field guide

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross

Thalassarche carteri

A slender, medium-sized mollymawk distinguished by its pale head and a narrow yellow stripe along the ridge of its black bill.

What it sounds like

A variety of harsh croaks and shrill brays, frequently interspersed with rhythmic bill-clattering during courtship.

Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Rec. Ding Li Yong · AustraliaCC BY-NC-NDXeno-canto

Field notes

  • It is the smallest member of the genus Thalassarche, measuring approximately 75 cm in length.
  • The species is currently classified as Endangered, largely due to high mortality from avian cholera and longline fishing bycatch.
  • Unlike the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, this species features a much paler grey head that fades to white with age.
  • They are annual breeders, typically nesting in colonies on cliffs or among boulders on remote subantarctic islands.
  • Their diet primarily consists of squid and fish, which they capture by surface-seizing or shallow plunge-diving.
Habitat
Pelagic waters and offshore continental shelves; nests on remote, oceanic islands.
Range
Breeds on islands in the southern Indian Ocean; ranges from South Africa to Australia and New Zealand.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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