General

Laysan Albatross: Large seabird with dark brown back and white head, neck, and rump. Eye patch is dark. Bill is thick and yellow with gray, hooked tip. Wings are dark brown above; underneath is white with irregular brown-black borders. Tail is dark brown-black with white coverts. Legs and webbed feet are flesh-pink. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Laysan Albatross: Breeds on isolated islands in the central Pacific Ocean, mostly on Hawaiian chain islands. At other times it is found throughout the northern oceans, primarily around Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.

Breeding and Nesting

Laysan Albatross: One dull, white egg spotted with brown is laid in a shallow ground depression lined with leaves, twigs, and sand. Incubation ranges from 65 to 66 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Laysan Albatross: Diet consists mostly of squid; also eats fish, fish eggs, and crustaceans; usually forages at night when prey is near the water surface.

Vocalization

Laysan Albatross: Usually silent at sea; on breeding grounds utters a series of "Eh-eh Eh-eh-eh" sounds, whines, whinnies, moans, inhalations, and squeaks.

Similar Species

Laysan Albatross: Black-footed Albatross has uniformly dark body and head. Short-tailed Albatross has larger, heavier bill, all-white underwings, yellow wash on nape, and white back.