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Thalassarche salvini
One of the larger Mollymawk, (250cm wing span and around 3.3 - 4.9kg adult weight). This species has a medium grey neck and face with a white crown. The bill is bicoloured dull olive brown and yellow with a black tip on the lower mandible. Ventral surfaces are generally white and especially in the underwing with a narrow black leading edge and very fine black trailing edge.
Mainly NZ breeders with colonies on Bounty and the Snares Islands with a few pair recorded breeding on the Crozet Islands. Otherwise disperses throughout Southern Ocean and winter off central Chile. These birds are seen regularly in NZ water in the summer months and this one was recorded of the South Island of New Zealand at Kaikoura.
Very similar to other grey headed Mollymawks such as White-capped and Chathams. One of the keys to ID is the bill colour, being all yellow in the Chatham species and grey with yellow tip in the White-capped.
Spotted on Jan 4, 2016
Submitted on Jan 9, 2016
18 Comments
Thanks Mark and Mark.
Congrats Bob
Congrats!
Thank you everyone so much for your comments. I was quite surprised that 'Mr Grumpy Looking Albatross' would get a SOTW so thank you PN Rangers for your votes. For me, any way of getting these birds noticed and talked about is a 'win!'
Congratulations!!! So very well-deserved :)
Perfect.
Wonderful series and congratulations!
What a fantastic series, and a really gorgeous albatross! Congrats triggsturner :D
Congrats triggsturner!
Congrats Robert, this fantastic series of the Salvin's Albatross has been selected as the Rangers' Choice Spotting of the Week!
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Thank you for the nomination PN. Its wonderful to be able to highlight these great birds.
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
Thank you venusflytrap2000. Always a pleasure.
Incredible series!
Armadeus.4, your comment is really great and I am so pleased you enjoyed this series. I find this group of birds and where they live in the world's oceans to be awe inspiring.
Thank you Polina, Armadeus.4 and Ashley. It's all in the timing Polilla!
Great spotting! I really hope to get to see an albatross in the wild some day :)
I haven't stopped going back to this spotting since I saw it. I hope to one day see this bird but it it is so great being able to see them via you :) Absolutely wonderful. I remember seeing Royal Albatross for the first time on the Otago Peninsula, NZ...I was just in awe! And watching them fly...took my breath away. Thank you so very much for sharing :)