Short-tailed Albatross vs Wandering Albatross
Phoebastria albatrus compared with Diomedea exulans
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Short-tailed Albatross | Wandering Albatross |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phoebastria albatrus | Diomedea exulans |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Diomedeidae | Diomedeidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 109.8 cm (43.2 in) | 320.0 cm (126.0 in) |
| Weight | 5955.5 g (210.07 oz) | 9000.0 g (317.47 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Squid, fish, and crustaceans caught from the ocean surface, often at night. Follows fishing vessels … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Wandering Albatross
Open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. Breeds on remote sub-Antarctic islands. Spends years at sea between breeding attempts.
Song & Call Comparison
Short-tailed Albatross
Wandering Albatross
At nesting colonies emits a loud braying 'waaah' and guttural grunts. Silent at sea for most of the year. Courtship involves ritualized mutual bill-clapping and moaning calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Short-tailed Albatross
Wandering Albatross
Southern Ocean circumpolar, breeding on South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Conservation Status
Short-tailed Albatross
Wandering Albatross
How to Tell Them Apart
Short-tailed Albatross
Wandering Albatross
Adults are mostly white with black trailing edges to the wings. Juveniles are chocolate brown, whitening progressively over 5-10 years. Pink bill and pale feet.
Very large pink bill with a hooked tip and visible tubular nostrils
About These Birds
Short-tailed Albatross
Short-tailed Albatross, 84–94 cm, wingspan 215–230 cm, was hunted nearly to extinction for feathers in the early 20th century. Now recovering (≈5,000 individuals) from a single colony on Torishima, Japan. White body with golden head, pink bill. Pelagic across North Pacific; Vulnerable but population growing.
Wandering Albatross
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.5 meters. These oceanic nomads can circumnavigate the globe, covering over 120,000 km per year using dynamic soaring with minimal wing flapping. Pairs mate for life and may live over 60 years.