Southern Royal Albatross

Diomedea epomophora

Wingspan up to 3.1 meters. Circumnavigates the Southern Ocean between visits to its nest.

Population: ~27,200 mature individuals (~7,900-8,600 annual breeding pairs, 2004-2008 estimate)
Habitat: Nests on tussock grassland slopes, ridges, and plateaus on subantarctic islands; spends the non-breeding season over marine neritic and oceanic pelagic waters of the Southern Ocean
Fun fact: The Southern Royal Albatross has one of the largest wingspans of any living bird (up to roughly 3.5 m / 11.5 ft in exceptional individuals), and has an unusually long generation length of about 42 years, reflecting its slow breeding cycle (one egg every two years) and long lifespan.
Range: Breeds almost entirely on Campbell Island, New Zealand (~99% of population), with small numbers on the Auckland Islands group (Adams, Auckland, Enderby) and at Taiaroa Head, South Island; disperses circumpolar across the Southern Ocean (roughly 30-45°S) reaching South America, Australia, southern Africa, and Antarctic waters outside the breeding season
Diet: Primarily squid and fish, supplemented by salps, crustaceans, and carrion, typically foraged within about 1,250 km of the breeding colony (also documented ranging into New Zealand shelf waters and South American waters)
Size: 1.15 m
Wingspan: 3.2 m
Lifespan: 58 years

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