Birdsong field guide
Short-tailed Albatross
Phoebastria albatrus
The Short-tailed Albatross is a large, rare pelagic bird distinguished by its massive pink bill and the golden-yellow wash on its crown and nape. Once nearly extinct due to the feather trade, it remains a flagship species for North Pacific marine conservation.
What it sounds like
Usually silent at sea; on breeding grounds, they perform complex displays involving rhythmic bill-clapping, groans, and braying sounds.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- It is the largest albatross in the North Pacific, with a wingspan reaching up to 2.3 meters (7.5 feet).
- Juveniles are entirely chocolate-brown, taking several years to transition through various mottled stages into their white adult plumage.
- By 1949, the species was thought to be extinct until a small population of approximately 10 pairs was rediscovered on Torishima Island.
- They are long-lived birds that typically do not begin breeding until they are at least 5 to 6 years old.
- Like other albatrosses, they utilize dynamic soaring to travel thousands of miles with minimal wing flapping by exploiting wind gradients over waves.
Habitat
Pelagic open ocean and remote volcanic islands with steep, grassy slopes for nesting.
Range
North Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Bering Sea and Alaska down to Japan and the West Coast of North America.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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