The Shy Albatross is a large seabird that glides over the ocean on long wings and breeds on islands off Tasmania.
Adults have a white body and long wings, with dark grey upper wings and tail. Juveniles are similar but have a grey hood.
Shy Albatrosses breed on Albatross Island off Tasmania. Over seven consecutive years, Claire Mason and colleagues analysed 308 foraging trips by 96 incubating birds. The tracked birds used waters within about 500 kilometres of the colony, staying relatively close to the island during this stage of breeding.
About half of the trips reached the nearby shelf break west of the island, while the rest remained within the neritic zone. A bird’s locations on separate trips were more alike than locations chosen at random from all tracked birds, showing individual differences in the waters used. The study provides a detailed view of foraging around one breeding colony.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Ninety-six incubating birds from Albatross Island foraged within about 500 km of the colony, with individual differences in repeatedly used areas.