The albatross is classified as a seabird

The albatross is classified as a seabird

• Yes, the statement is correct.
• The albatross has adapted to live in marine and Pacific environments.
• The albatross bird belongs to the albatross family, and its name is due to the word “qudous”, meaning diver or pelican.

Albatross Information

• Albatross birds are distributed in various regions of the world, where the Indian Ocean alone is surrounded by 1.6 million mature birds, and these numbers are lower in the rest of the regions.
• The albatross depends for its food on various marine organisms, which are fish, squid, octopus, crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans, in addition to zooplankton. There are certain types of albatrosses that eat carrion floating on the surface of the water, or forage through the wreckage of ships in search of their food.
• The albatross does not get its food until it flies over seas and oceans, so it is difficult for it as it is unable to dive far from the surface of the water.
• But what makes it easier for the albatross to catch its prey? It is its keen eyesight that allows it to leap at fish on the surface of the water and catch them in flight.
• After the albatross chooses its partner; It builds the nest in which it lays its eggs, and it builds that nest from feathers, shrubs, dirt and grass, on an elevated area on an isolated island, and albatross nests appear as of settlements.
• The factors that cause the albatross to migrate vary depending on its type and the situation it lives in at any time of the year. There are types of albatrosses that live their entire lives as migrants, and others that prefer stability and searching for their food. around the nest they build to breed Male albatrosses tend to migrate more than females.
• The average age of the albatross is between 40 and 50 years old, and the tiger shark is the main enemy of this bird, as it hunts its young.
• There are many poems and books that mention the albatross, as it was used to refer to several symbols. In the past, sailors considered it a harbinger of good luck.
• There was also an ancient belief that the albatross was a symbol of the connection between the natural world and the spiritual world due to its ability to appear from mist.
• Many factors threaten the survival of albatrosses, including commercial hunting, habitat loss, climate change, oil spills in the waters, predators that threaten their lives, as well as rats that infiltrate albatross nests. and feed on eggs.

Albatross species

The albatross is divided into several types, each type differs from the other in terms of morphological characteristics, as follows:

• Wandering Albatross: It is also called the snow albatross, and this species lives in the polar range of the Southern Ocean, and it has brown feathers, but it becomes white as it ages, and its wingspan varies from 2.5 to 3, 5 meters, and in this type the size of the females is a little less than the size of the males.
• Amsterdam Albatross: This name was given because it lives on the island of Amsterdam, located in the southern Indian Ocean, and its wingspan varies from 2.8 meters to 3.4 meters.
• Black-footed Albatross: This species lives in the North Pacific Ocean, especially the surrounding islands, and is dark brown in color, with a wingspan of up to 2 meters.
• black-browed albatross: This species lives in the North Atlantic Ocean far from the shore, and appears to have a frown face, due to its dark eye line, and its wingspan reaches 2.3 meters.
• Lys Albatross: This species is found in the islands surrounding the northern Indian Ocean. It is distinguished by its white color and dark wing surfaces, and its wings reach 2 meters in length.

Where does the albatross live?

• The vast majority of albatrosses live in the Southern Hemisphere, around South America, South Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.
• And the rest of the birds live in the northern hemisphere, such as Alaska, California, Japan, Hawaii, and the northern Indian Ocean.
• Most of what has helped the albatross spread to many parts of the world is its ability to eat seafood and drink salt water.

Albatross Bird Specification

• The albatross is distinguished by its large size, since its length exceeds 1.2 meters, and its wingspan can exceed 3 meters, while its weight is more than 10 kilograms.
• And because the weight of the albatross is heavy compared to the rest of the birds; In its flight it needs large and strong wings that can carry it, and it needs strong winds that allow it to fly with that weight and move from place to place.
• Thus, the albatross can make maximum use of its energy in flight thanks to its pointed wings.
• The albatross has a high flight speed of 40 miles per hour, and during its flight it does not need to rest.
• The albatross is distinguished by its large head and hooked beak. It has 3 toes on its legs, and between each toe there is skin. This bird does not have hind toes because it does not need them.
• The albatross has more than one color such as white, brown, gray and black, while the southern royal albatross is completely white and distinguished by its orange or yellow beak.

The sound of an albatross

• Albatrosses communicate with each other through the sounds they make.
• These sounds vary according to the situation to which the albatross is exposed, when it feels threatened by any intruder; It emits a shrill sound which it repeats rapidly.
• Albatrosses also make sounds such as gurgling, screeching, and screeching when competing for food.
• The communication process between albatrosses is not limited to just the sounds they make; Rather, I physically challenged the process, as these birds perform dances and movements according to each bird’s needs, as well as rubbing against each other or banging their heads against each other.

Albatross breeding

• When the albatross wants to breed; It migrates from the sea to remote islands and coastal areas.
• The albatross expresses its sexual readiness by singing and dancing, as well as making other movements such as pointing and staring.
• Choosing an albatross for its partner is not easy, because some types of this bird take its partner as a husband for life, and therefore these birds practice the aforementioned rituals before breeding for several years until the bird chooses a partner for itself. after encountering a large number of birds.
• And the albatross associates with its companion for life, so it has a strong family that never separates, and they communicate with each other in a separate language.
• The mating season occurs every year, after which the female lays an egg, which is white in color with a reddish-brown spot, and weighs up to half a kilogram.
• Once the female has laid her egg, she takes care of it in a phase that lasts a specific time, and she cooperates with her husband to incubate the eggs for a period of up to 11 weeks, and when the young arrives , the couple takes care of him for 3 weeks, and they give him small meals during this period.
• The pair also cooperate in cleaning up and protecting their young, so they can fly later.
• And the young albatross reaches the stage of independence, when it reaches the age of 10 months.