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March 19, 2024

Headlines:

No Time for Tuckerman -

Thursday, August 3, 2023

The Quitter Returns! -

Monday, March 21, 2022

Putting the goober in gubernatorial -

Friday, January 28, 2022

Return of Bird of the Week: Light-mantled Sooty Albatross

A smaller member of the albatross family, the Light-manted Sooty Albatross (sometimes called the Light-mantled Albatross) is another circumpolar species.

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, off South Georgia Island

The species is “small” only in relation to other albatrosses. With a wingspan of six to seven feet and a weight of as much as eight pounds, the bird is larger than  Golden Eagle and much, much more aerobatic.

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, off South Shetland Islands

There are only about 58,000 birds remaining, and the species is in decline. Another victim of long-line fishing, their situation is worsened by their very slow reproductive rates. On average, birds only begin breeding when they are 8 to 15 years old,after which they breed biennially, fledging a chick every five years or so. They are capable of breeding until at least 32 years old and living to 40 or longer. But you can see that, on average, a Light-mantled pair is only going to produced 4-5 chicks over the course of their long lives. They are classified by the IUCN as near-threatened.

They are a beautiful, elegant bird and WC is grateful for getting to see and photograph them.

For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.

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One Response to “Return of Bird of the Week: Light-mantled Sooty Albatross”
  1. Zyxomma says:

    What a wonder the albatross is! I’m so sorry they’re threatened; humans suck.