Black-browed Albatross

Black-browed Albatross (黑眉信天翁)
Pitcairn Islands (2014)
6th January, 2016. Pitcairn Islands

Black-browed Albatross, also known as the Black-browed Mollymawk, is a medium sized, pelagic albatross, at 80–95cm long with a 200–240cm wingspan and a weight of 2.9– 4.7kg. Living up to 70 years, its colouring is a dark grey upper with white underparts. The bill is orange-yellow and its unique dark eye-stripe gives it its name.

Black-browed Albatross breeds on 12 islands throughout the southern oceans. There are an estimated 1,220,000 birds alive with 600,000 breeding pairs (2005). Colonies are very noisy as they bray and cackle to mark their territory. The bird feeds on fish, squid, crustaceans, carrion and fishery discards. This species normally nests on steep slopes covered with tussock grass. They lay one egg which is incubated by both parents and after hatching, the chicks take 120 to 130 days to fledge.

Until 2013, the IUCN classified this species as "endangered" due to a drastic reduction in population and nesting sites. The overall situation is grim, with a 67% decline over 64 years. The Black-browed Albatross is the most common bird killed by fisheries through increased long line and trawl fishing in the southern oceans.

From left to right :
Wandering Albatross (漂泊信天翁) ; Black-browed Albatross (黑眉信天翁)
Buller's Albatross (新西蘭信天翁)
Pitcairn Islands (2014)
6th January, 2016. Pitcairn Islands