Black-footed Albatross vs Wandering Albatross
Phoebastria nigripes compared with Diomedea exulans
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-footed Albatross | Wandering Albatross |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phoebastria nigripes | Diomedea exulans |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Diomedeidae | Diomedeidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 95.2 cm (37.5 in) | 320.0 cm (126.0 in) |
| Weight | 3180.0 g (112.17 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
Black-footed 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
Black-footed Albatross
Wandering Albatross
Southern Ocean circumpolar, breeding on South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Conservation Status
Black-footed Albatross
Wandering Albatross
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-footed 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
Black-footed Albatross
Black-footed Albatross, 68–74 cm, wingspan 193–213 cm, is the only dark-bodied albatross of the North Pacific. Brown-black overall with white around bill and under tail; black feet. Breeds on Hawaiian and Midway atolls; forages across the North Pacific. Near Threatened; threatened by longline bycatch and plastic ingestion.
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.