The Smallest Coal-Brown or Black Grey-backed Albatross
#Travel #Travel##Tourism#Antarctic##Bird Photography Circles ##Birds##Albatross (Scientific name: Phoebetria palpebrata) is a small albatross that is widely distributed near the edge of antarctic ice floes and at high latitudes between 40° and 60° south latitude. In November, the ash-backed albatross was found at a minimum latitude of 42° south latitude and in February at 46° south latitude. Juveniles are found in polar Antarctic waters, while adult birds are distributed throughout the region. Grey-backed albatrosses spend most of their time flying, breeding on several isolated islands: Prince Edward Islands, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Heard Island, MacDonald Islands, Macquarie Islands, Macquarie Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Islands, Antipodes Islands and South Georgia. Nesting sites are located on steep rocky cliffs off the coast of the island and some inland cliffs. Nests on cliffs are located 15 to 2,000 meters above sea level. The grey-backed albatross is the deepest of the albatrosses that plunge into the water, usually from five to twelve meters.
Grey-backed albatrosses are predominantly coal-brown or black in color, with a darker head, a lighter upper part of the covert feathers from the back of the neck to the upper tail, gray to light gray, and a lighter cape and back color, which have been described as similar in color to Siamese cats. Part of the eye is surrounded by a thin orbit of very short gray feathers after a crescent, the beak is black, with a blue groove and a gray-yellow line along the mandible (beak), about 105 mm (4.1 in) long. Measurements showed that males and females were similar in size, averaging 79–89 cm (31–35 in) in length, a wingspan of 183–218 cm (72–86 in), and a weight of 2.5–3.7 kg (5.5–8.2 lbs).
Grey-backed albatrosses feed mainly on squid, fish, crustaceans, krill, and petrels, with known predators being mainly Macronectes and Felis catus. Along with other albatross species (Diomedeidae), the average lifespan of the grey-backed albatross is around 40 years and reproduction is slow. They are increasingly threatened by long-term fishing and the ingestion of plastic litter in the oceans. Currently considered by the IUCN to be near-threatened, populations are declining.
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