Even though there are many birds, and the many sounds they make, and many colors that they express, every bird is different.  Thalassarche cauta, or the Shy Albatross, makes up 12,000 to 13,000 pairs of the 200-400 billion birds in the world. The Shy Albatross is mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere, mostly in New Zealand, Australia, and Southern Africa and the tip of South America.

 

The Shy Albatross is one of many seabirds. They have a wingspan of 87-100 cm! This particular bird, like many, dive into the water to catch fish swimming beneath the surface. It can dive up to 2.9 meters! These birds have extraordinary feathers, which have been traded in the past. This made a huge decrease in population. This species is near threatened.

 

During the breeding season, adults are relatively sedentary, which means they like sitting a lot and get little exercise, and are concentrated around Tasmania and southern Australia. However, juvenile birds from Mewstone (Tasmania) are known to migrate to South Africa. One banded bird from Albatross Island has been recovered in northern New Zealand.

 

Shy Albatross breeds annually in colonies located on rock islands. The main foods are fish and cephlapods, crustaceans, and tunicates that make up a good portion of their diet. It is a ship-follower. Their nests are a mound of soil, grass and roots. Eggs are mostly laid in the second half of September.

 

In conclusion, Thalassarche cauta, or the Shy Albatross is an interesting seabird of many.

 

Author: Katelynn L.

Date Published: 3/2010

 

Sources:

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/150687/0

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119166984/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shy_Albatross

Picture:

www.animalpicturesarchive.com/.../1197610783.jpg

 

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