Today I’m telling you the way of the waved albatross or the binomial name is Diomedea irrorata. When someone says albatross you would probably think of a large-sized bird. Well your close, because this bird is a medium size. I think you would find this a very interesting bird. It has got a lot of albatross cousins.

 

The waved albatross ranges from about 86-90 cm. They are recognizable by their yellowish neck and head that goes against their brown bodies. They have bright yellow bill which looks abnormally large compared to their small heads and bodies. It adapted to cold weather so it can fly in dense air. Their mating call sounds like rocks thrown into the water by clicking its beak. They are found in the Galapogos Islands and Isla de la Plata. They live well in their habitat.

 

There is a population of about 34,700. It is decreasing slowly.  Right now it is critically endangered. It is probably being changed by longline fishing. It eats a variety of seafood like certain types of fish some known and unknown, small squid, and crustaceans like crab and small hermit crabs. It competes with other birds and its kind. It eats lizards and bugs on land also, along with the seafood.

 

It stays in the cliffs to stay away from hungry predators. Right now scientists are finding new information on Diomedea irrorata. Scientists are breeding them in captivity, so there is new hope for them. What stood out to me when I read about this bird was how it was endangered. I enjoyed learning about this bird.

 

Author: Michael M.

Published: 3/2010

 

Sources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/species/Waved_Albatross

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waved_Albatross#Range

http://www.wildinfo.com/facts/Wavedalbatross.asp?page=/facts/Wavedalbatross.asp&i_id=323