Animalia Life

Diomedea exulans
TAXONOMY
Diomedea exulans Linnaeus, 1758, Cape of Good Hope. Two subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Snowy albatross, white-winged albatross; French: Albatros hurleur; German: Wanderalbatros; Spanish: Albatros Viajero.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Wingspan 9.2–11.5 ft (280–350 cm); 13.7–25 lb (6.25–11.3 kg). One of largest albatrosses with variable plumage developing from chocolate brown. Back and belly whiten first, followed by head and rump. Wing whitens from center. Oldest males are whitest.
DISTRIBUTION
D. exulans breeds in high latitudes of the southern oceans at South Georgia, Marion and Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Island, Kerguelen Island, Heard and Macquarie Islands. Juveniles are thought to disperse northwards from these locations before developing regular downwind migrations.
HABITAT
Marine and highly pelagic over deep waters away from coastal continental shelves.
BEHAVIOR
Extensive repertoire of group and mutual displays accompanied by a wide range of screams, whistles, moans, grunts, and bill clappering.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Most food taken by surface seizing, but may make shallow plunge dives. Feeds primarily on cephalopods, deepwater and bioluminescent squid at night, but also fish and crustaceans. Feeds on carrion more than other albatrosses and is an extensive follower of ships for galley scraps, and fishing vessels for offal, discards, and baits. During breeding, feeding flights over deep ocean areas may be for as long as 25 days and covering some 13,000 miles (20,800 km).
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Lays one egg between 10 December and 5 January. The nest is a raised bowl of soil peat and grassy vegetation rebuilt at each nesting. On average, incubation lasts 79 days, fledging 271 days. Usually a biennial breeder. Monogamous, pairing usually for life. Productivity c. 70%. Adolescents return by 6 years. Breeding starts at 11 years. Only c. 30% of fledglings survive. Adult annual mortality averages 5–7% with females being higher than males.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable. The main populations are at South Georgia (2,100 pairs annually), Marion and Prince Edward Island (3,000), Crozet (1,700), and Kerguelen Island (1,400). All colonies have experienced declines in breeding populations which have been attributed to mortality associated with long-line fisheries in different parts of the southern oceans.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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