Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata)

Order: Procellariformes | Family: Diomedeidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

waved-albatross
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Coast of El Callao

waved-albatross
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Coast of El Callao

waved-albatross
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Coast of Camana

waved-albatross
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Coast of El Callao

Identification & Behavior: ~84 cm (33.1 in). The Waved Albatross has dark brown back and lighter brown underparts finely barred with whit on the breast and upper belly. The head and neck are white with a variable amount of yellow tinge on the lower and back of the neck. The bill is yellow-orange.  The combination of white neck and head and a dark rest of the body is unique among albatrosses occurring in Peru. The Black-browed Albatross has also a white head and neck but has white underparts and shorter neck.

Status: The Waved Albatross is fairly common in pelagic waters. It breeds on the Galapagos Islands and in very small numbers on the Isla La Plata in Ecuador. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Albatros de las Galápagos.

Sub-species: Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), (Salvin), 1883.

Meaning of Name: Phoebastria: Gr. phoebetria, phoibastria= prophetess, soothsayer. irrorata: L. irroratus= bedewed, sprinkled. Irrorare= to bedew.

See more of the Family Diomedeidae  peru aves

Distribution Mapwaved albatross
Voice
Generally silent at sea.

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 03/01/2017.