Visual Search | Wizard | Browse
Bird name:

Shy Albatross

Thalassarche cautaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Albatross (Diomedeidae)
Codes: Common Name: SHAL Scientific Name: THACAU ITIS Taxonomic No.: 554451
Unknown
 
Shy Albatross
Copyright © 2004 - 2008 Whatbird.com






Rate this Illustration: Excellent Very Good Good
Fair Below Avg Poor

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Clingers Only Feeder
Weather resistant inexpensive feeder is ideal for small birds.
Suet Delight
Easy to hang and maintain, holds all kinds of packaged suet.
Ultimate Woodpecker Feeder
Only allows woodpeckers to feed made of Inland Cedar.
The No-No Copper Feeder
Beautiful copper feeder holds 2.5 lbs of sunflower seeds.
Attracting Clingers

Overview

Shy Albatross: Large seabird with white body and gray back. The bill is gray with a yellow tip and base. Underwing is white with diagnostic narrow black margin. Tail is gray. Legs and feet are pink. Soaring flight on stiff, slightly drooped wings. Often interuppted with several slow deep wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Shy Albatross: Breeds on only three islands, south of Tasmania, including Albatross Island, Mewstone, and Pedra Branca. Nests on rocks and feeds in waters over the continental shelf, including in harbors and bays.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

Generally silent

Interesting Facts

 The Shy Albatross is also known as the White-capped Albatross or the Shy Mollymawk.

 The current population is estimated at 55,000 to 60,000 individuals, including immatures.

 It is the only albatross species endemic to Australia.

 A group of albatrosses are known collectively as a "flight", "rookery", and "weight" of albatrosses.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Irina Rud-Volga

Splitbar
Range Map for Shy Albatross

.
Family Albatross (Diomedeidae)_blue
Species Thalassarche cauta
Length35 - 40 Inches
Wingspan87 Inches

Shy Albatross

Shy Albatross: Large seabird with white body and gray back. The bill is gray with a yellow tip and base. Underwing is white with diagnostic narrow black margin. Tail is gray. Legs and feet are pink. Soaring flight on stiff, slightly drooped wings. Often interuppted with several slow deep wing beats.

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Shy Albatross: Feeds on fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and tunicates caught at the water surface; follows fishing vessels in flocks to feed on garbage thrown overboard.

● Breeding & nesting: Shy Albatross: One white egg with red brown flecks is laid on a sturdy column of packed earth and vegetation built on a rocky terrace or broad ledge, usually on a slope overlooking the sea. Incubation ranges from 62 to 66 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Shy Albatross: Laysan Albatross has darker back, shorter bill, and less white on rump.

Flight Pattern

Soars on strong wings.
Shy Albatross Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Shy Albatross: Breeds on only three islands, south of Tasmania, including Albatross Island, Mewstone, and Pedra Branca. Nests on rocks and feeds in waters over the continental shelf, including in harbors and bays.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationUncommon to common
MigrationMigratory
Weight144 Ounces
Perching-like BodyX
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Read more...
ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

Read more...
Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX