Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora)

Identification & Behavior: ~114 cm (44.8 in). The adult Royal Albatross is mostly white with narrow black margins on the underwing. The upper wing is white on the leading edge. The bill is yellowish. The juvenile is also mostly white with black streaks on the rump, black tail tips, and blackish upperside of the wing. The blackish upperside of the wing turns whiter as the bird ages. The large size and mostly white plumage are unmistakable but see the smaller Black-browed Albatross.         

Status: The status of the Royal Albatross is poorly understood. Plenge (2016) cites sight records from Koepcke 1964, 1970 off the coast of northern Peru. Additional sightings were reported off the coast of Mollendo, Región of Arequipa (Hughes 1991). Records from Jahncke et al (1998b) are under review as the authors were inexperienced and did not provide details of the sighting.

Name in Spanish: Albatros Real.

Sub-species: Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora),

Meaning of Name: Gr. myth. Diomedes, warrior king of Aetolia. At his death, from old age, his companions were so distraught that they were turned into white seabirds. epomophora: epōmis, epōmidos= shoulder and phoros, pherō= carrying, to carry.

See more of the Family Diomedeidae