The largest albatross in the North Pacific, the striking Short-tailed Albatross is distinguished from others by its ponderous flight, prominent pink bill, and golden head. Like others of its kind, this albatross comes to land only when nesting. The extreme rarity and beauty of this bird makes sightings precious to birders.
The largest and only white-bodied albatross in the North Pacific, the Short-tailed Albatross measures 36 inches in length, and weighs 4,000 grams, with a wingspan of over seven feet. Sexes are similar. Juveniles are all-brown for several years. Immature Short-tails can be distinguished from Black-footed Albatross by their pink bills and pale feet. In full adult plumage, acquired after 12 or more years, this albatross is distinguished by its golden head and nape, and large, blue-tipped bubblegum-pink bill. The bird's upper body and rump are white; the under wing is white with black edges; and the tail fringe and outer upper wings are dark.
The legs and feet are pale bluish, and the toes fully webbed.
The Short-tailed Albatross breeds exclusively on Japan's Torishima Island and, in
smaller numbers, on Minami-kojima in the Senkaku Islands, claimed jointly by Japan, China and Taiwan. Following their northern summer breeding season, Short-tailed Albatross disperse into the North Pacific as far as the Bering Sea, their marine range overlapping with Black-footed and Laysan Albatross. Occasional sightings have been recorded along the coasts of Japan, eastern Russia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Alaska, California, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Various individuals have been observed annually on Midway Island since the 1940s, mingling
among numerous breeding Laysan and Black-footed Albatross.
Short-tails build their nests on relatively steep but open slopes using the surrounding sand, shrubbery, volcanic debris, or grass—historically, tall clumps of the grass
Miscanthus sinensis were used.
The diet of these surface feeders consists of flying fish eggs, shrimp, squid, fish, and crustaceans. Short-tails feed primarily during dawn and dusk hours, when squid are more plentiful in surface waters. They have been known to forage up to 2,000 miles from their breeding grounds.
The Short-tailed Albatross first breeds at six years. The birds are monogamous, but may create a new pair bond if their original mate dies. They generally return to their breeding grounds beginning in late October. Like many other seabirds, only one egg is laid per pair. Incubation lasts approximately 65 days and is shared by both parents. Both adults also feed the chick, by regurgitating a mixture of flying fish eggs and squid oil. By mid-June, chicks are almost full-grown, and adults begin to abandon their nests. Chicks fledge soon after the adults leave the colony
After breeding, birds from Torishima follow one of two general migratory patterns: They may migrate to the east coast of Japan, and then either fly offshore along the continental shelf and north to the Aleutian Islands, or they may remain in Japanese waters for several months before heading north.
Kaufman, Kenn.
Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 1996
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
website
Sibley, David Allen.
The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, 2000
United Nations Environment Programme / World Conservation Monitoring Centre
website
