Photo: Duncan Wright, USFWS / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Laysan Albatross
Phoebastria immutabilis
Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) is a member of the Diomedeidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 3.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Diomedeidae Albatrosses
- Genus Phoebastria
- Species immutabilis
Where it lives
Torishima (southern Izu) and Muko-jima (Ogasawara=Bonin Is.; south of Japan), Northwestern Hawaiian Is. (most of population) and Guadelupe and Revillagigedo is. (west of northern, central Mexico)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Diomedeidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Endangered
Endangered
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Laysan Albatross hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Laysan Albatross is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) is a member of the Diomedeidae family, within the order Procellariiformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO Torishima (s Izu) and Muko-jima (Ogasawara=Bonin Is.; s of Japan), Northwestern Hawaiian Is. (most of population) and Guadelupe and Revillagigedo is. (w of n, c Mexico).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.1 kg, with a wing length of about 47.4 cm and a tail of around 14.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 45.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Laysan Albatross?
The Laysan Albatross is a very large bird that weighs around 3.1 kg.
Where does the Laysan Albatross live?
The Laysan Albatross is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO Torishima (s Izu) and Muko-jima (Ogasawara=Bonin Is.; s of Japan), Northwestern Hawaiian Is. (most of population) and Guadelupe and Revillagigedo is. (w of n, c Mexico), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Laysan Albatross belong to?
The Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) belongs to the Diomedeidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Laysan Albatross eat?
The Laysan Albatross hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Laysan Albatross migrate?
The Laysan Albatross is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Laysan Albatross endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Laysan Albatross make?
1 real field recording of the Laysan Albatross — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Laysan Albatross's range?
The Laysan Albatross has a mapped global range of about 45.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Diomedeidae
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Near Threatened
More in Seabirds & Tubenoses
Extinct
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern