Photo: Jlfutari at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Short-tailed Albatross
Phoebastria albatrus
Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) is a member of the Diomedeidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 4.4 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Procellariiformes
- Family Diomedeidae Albatrosses
- Genus Phoebastria
- Species albatrus
Where it lives
Minami-Kojima (Senkaku Is., southwest of Okinawa), Tori-shima (southern Izu Is.), a few on Yome-jima (Ogasawara=Bonin Is.; southeast of Japan) and Midway Atoll (Northwestern Hawaiian Is.)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.4 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Diomedeidae
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Near Threatened
Endangered
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Albatross is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) is a member of the Diomedeidae family, within the order Procellariiformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO Minami-Kojima (Senkaku Is., sw of Okinawa), Tori-shima (s Izu Is.), a few on Yome-jima (Ogasawara=Bonin Is.; se of Japan) and Midway Atoll (Northwestern Hawaiian Is.).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.4 kg, with a wing length of about 54.9 cm and a tail of around 14.7 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 48 million km² — a very large global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Short-tailed Albatross?
The Short-tailed Albatross is a very large bird that weighs around 4.4 kg.
Where does the Short-tailed Albatross live?
The Short-tailed Albatross is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO Minami-Kojima (Senkaku Is., sw of Okinawa), Tori-shima (s Izu Is.), a few on Yome-jima (Ogasawara=Bonin Is.; se of Japan) and Midway Atoll (Northwestern Hawaiian Is.), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Short-tailed Albatross belong to?
The Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) belongs to the Diomedeidae family, in the order Procellariiformes.
What does the Short-tailed Albatross eat?
The Short-tailed Albatross hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Short-tailed Albatross migrate?
The Short-tailed Albatross is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Short-tailed Albatross endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
How large is the Short-tailed Albatross's range?
The Short-tailed Albatross has a mapped global range of about 48 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.
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