Snowy albatross Explained

The snowy albatross is a large seabird ranging across the Southern Ocean. Linnaeus described it in 1758.

Juveniles start chocolate brown, becoming whiter with age. Adults have white bodies and white and black wings.

A salt gland above the nasal passage desalinates their bodies. Expelled saline stains necks pink-yellow. Nature's least appealing scarf.

The snowy albatross reaches a wingspan of 3.7 m.

Snowy albatross waits more than a decade before breeding.

Snowy albatrosses spend most of their life flying, landing only to breed and feed. One flew 6,000 km in twelve days.

During courtship they spread wings and rap bills. They lay one egg between 10 December and 5 January.

Sailors used wing bones for tobacco pipe stems. Māori carved them into flutes.