Under the blue sky, above the sea, seabirds soar! Albatross loves to drift all his life, can fly on the sea for months without landing, forage for food when the sea is rough, and float on the surface of the sea to sleep when tired. But no matter how far you fly, you will remember the way home, and once you have a partner, you will be with you for decades until death, and you will not change your spouse for the rest of your life.
There are many labels on the albatross, the most able to fly, the most wandering, the most loyal, the most distressing, etc., although many people have not seen the true face of the albatross, but still want to use "the most" to describe it, do you really know the albatross?
The albatross is a large seabird belonging to the family Albatross in the order Grebe, distributed in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Spring and winter are found in the South China Sea, but also along the coast of Shandong, and if you are lucky, you may be able to see them soaring in the air or fighting with the waves.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" >01 has a wingspan of up to 3.7 meters, and the tubular nostrils on the beak can sense changes in wind direction</h1>
There are 14 species of albatrosses worldwide, and although there are some differences in size and appearance, in general, adult individuals weigh an average of 8-9 kg and have a wingspan of about 3 meters. According to Animal World, the largest wandering albatross has a wingspan of up to 3.7 meters, and its outstretched wings are particularly narrow and long.
With a plump body, long wings, short tail, short neck, and short legs, he looks a little stupid, so he is also called "dumb gull" or "stupid bird".
The color of the feathers is classic black and white, which is waterproof. The feathers covering the body are white, and the wings and tail feathers are black. The simple color is also quite attractive.
The albatross has a pink beak, and it is thicker and longer, and the front end is curved downwards, which is particularly cute! Even more peculiar is that there are two small tubular nostrils on the beak, which are located on both sides of the beak, paying attention to symmetry.
When the albatross flies, the internal nerves in the nostrils can sensitively sense changes in air pressure and wind direction, so that the albatross can adjust the flight posture in time and control the direction in time.
The nostrils work so much? Put it this way, the albatross's two small nostrils "pipes" are similar to the functions of a fighter airspeed tube. This allows the albatross to control the movement of the body freely.
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" >02 adrift at sea, gliding by wind, more than 100,000 kilometers a year, and about 8.5 million kilometers in a lifetime</h1>
The albatross has been adrift at sea all his life, flying and flying non-stop, without landing, and only returning to his hometown during the breeding season. You must be curious, "the most flying" albatross, how fast flying? How long can I fly at a time? What is the state of the flight?
The albatross soars in the air, is good at using the power of the wind, first against the direction of the wind to get lift, and then turn high in the direction he wants to go, can fly for several hours without stirring wings.
Biologists studying drifting albatrosses have found that drifting albatrosses often use the westerly wind to fly long distances from west to east, and gliding easily 900 kilometers a day is not a problem, reaching speeds of 85 kilometers per hour.
They are good at harnessing the wind, not only can they glide far in the blink of an eye, but they can also do sometimes swooping, sometimes lifting, and even hovering in the air, and sure enough, "good wind with force, send me to the clouds." ”
In this way, the speed and distance of the albatross flying every day are also related to the speed of the wind, if the wind speed is insufficient, the gliding speed will also be reduced, and it will take more effort to deviate from the route and circle in a larger circle.
Flying is their instinct, and drifting is the norm for their survival. The first time the albatross took off from the "Bird Life", it was destined to drift around the sea and fight in the long sky. They have a long lifespan, averaging 50-60 years! According to biologists, a wandering albatross lives to the age of 60 if there is no accident, and it flies about 8.5 million kilometers in its lifetime! Seeing this amazing statistic makes one have to admire the albatross.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" >03 hunts in churning waves and forages behind fishing boats</h1>
As a large seabird, the albatross shows its proper demeanor, and where the wind and waves are strong, it appears where it is! When the sea wind and waves are high, the albatross suddenly dives into the waves, and suddenly emerges from the head, looking so uninhibited, and the albatross will feel so cool!
It turns out that the albatross who is good at flying is not good at diving and catching fish to eat. Whenever the wind blows and the waves roll, the waves bring food to the surface of the sea, and the albatross relies on a keen sense of smell to find food. A variety of fish, crustaceans, and squid-based cephalopods are all their favorite food.
Perhaps because it is relatively heavy, the albatross diving is not deep, generally diving into the sea water of several meters and ten meters deep to feed, and immediately surfaced. When food is plentiful, the more active the albatross is on the surface of the sea, and when he is full, he will swim in the sea, and his two little feet will pull the sea water to play.
In addition, albatrosses will also follow the fishing boats sailing at sea to feed, and when people fish, albatrosses follow behind to eat small fish that have slipped through the net, or discard small fish, squid, etc.
The water needed by the albatross's body comes from food, and there is no need to drink fresh water. Seawater is also drunk, and the body has salt glands in the nasal cavity in order to expel excess salt. The salt water discharged from the nostrils flows down the beak to the tip of the beak.
For a lifetime, nine times out of ten, he has been adrift at sea, flying, foraging, and floating on the surface of the sea to rest at night when he is tired. Even sleeping at sea, not landing on the ground, or how can it be said that albatrosses are natural sea travelers.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" >04 No matter how far away you are, you will go home and wait for your partner, and you will not change your spouse for the rest of your life</h1>
Albatrosses, accustomed to wandering, are the most loyal and romantic birds, because no matter how far they fly, even if they cross a planet, they will return to their hometown on time every year to spend time with their partners.
Autumn and winter are the breeding season of albatrosses, and every time the albatrosses who are wandering outside at this time seem to be pulled by some kind, they have returned to their hometown islands, married and waiting for their partners to return, and single people try to find a partner.
Usually, when an albatross reaches the age of 4, he will fly back to the island where he was born accurately and look for a mate in his hometown. They are very serious about "finding a partner", they will not find one at random, but will be carefully selected, after two years, or even three years of "love period", they will marry each other after seeing each other.
Although the male and female albatrosses who are married are usually wandering and only return to their hometowns during the breeding season, they are loyal to each other, from the age of seven or eight to the age of fifty or sixty, until death, and there is no divorce at all. Just like the beautiful love of human beings, "willing to win the hearts of one person, the white head is not separated", it is false to say that there is no envy!
You don't look at the albatross stupid, like a silly big one, in fact, they are very romantic, across the ocean back to the island, waiting for the distant partner to return, and then love each other for a while.
The island is very lively, whether it is a young albatross in the "hot love period" or a middle-aged and elderly albatross of "old husband and wife", they will dance the "love dance". Male and female albatrosses look up at each other and sing, sometimes flapping their wings apart, sometimes approaching to "kissing" with their pink beaks, making a clicking sound when they collide.
In a short time together, the male and female albatrosses are inseparable, will gently comb each other's feathers, and will also hug like a swan.comfy neck.
It's important to be with your partner, but it's even more important to reproduce!
< h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > 05, the chicks themselves learn to take off against the wind</h1>
Many birds have very short mating times, while albatrosses can mate for a minute or two, and can mate up to 11 times in 2 hours. Albatrosses have a long breeding process, giving birth once every two years and laying only one egg at a time.
The lair of the albatross, which is very simple, is built on the island floor with a small earthen platform, which is used continuously every year. Repairs are made before the eggs are laid. After laying the eggs, the albatross couple will take turns incubating the eggs, giving each other time to go out to sea to forage for food and fill their stomachs.
More than 70 days later, the albatross chicks burst out of their shells like a furry ball. The couple take turns caring for the chicks, while the little one grows up day by day under the feeding of his parents.
When the little one is full moon, the albatross will leave the nest and fly farther into the sea to forage for food, because the little one eats more and more. They return to the island from time to time and regurgitate the food in their stomachs to the young birds.
The food regurgitated by the albatross couple is a high-calorie food concentrated in the stomach, the little guy has accumulated fat, his body is getting fuller and fuller, his weight has reached the peak, heavier than his parents, and he is really a "giant baby baby".
After reaching the peak of weight, it will gradually decline and slowly fade the white fluff. At this point, they will try to open their long wings and feel the power of the wind. In fact, every albatross learns to fly on its own, and does not need to be taught by its parents.
Because the body is relatively heavy, it is convenient to take off when the wind is strong. The documentary "Earth Pulse" records the picture of the albatross taking off against the wind, it is on a narrow "track", stepping on a small foot to help run, not very skilled to flap its wings, and then fly up, the sky is high and the sea is wide and let it gallop, and it begins to "travel around the world"!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" >06 conclusion</h1>
It is really touching and painful that the albatross can fly so faithfully. But there are still some concerns about the albatross that have not been scientifically explained, and on what basis did the albatross navigate back to his birthplace unmistakably? Also, what does an albatross rely on to recognize his partner?
Xuelinggu Nature Lab/Production
References: Zoology, Wildscreen, Nature Magazine, Friends of Science, Animal World