Black-footed Albatross

Description:

A large, magnificent seabird that only returns to land for breeding. They are one of 3 albatross species that are commonly found in the northern hemisphere, the other two being the Laysan and short-tailed. Black-footed albatrosses breed mostly on the Hawaiian archipelago but travel tremendous distances to find food, with many frequenting the rich waters off the shore of California. Young birds do not return to land until 3 years after they leave the nest when they achieve sexual maturity. Although the birds are not endangered yet, their populations face huge danger from ingestion of floating plastics, accidents with longline fishing, and oil spills.

Notes:

Over 25 birds were seen at one time around the boat during a pelagic birding trip.