Shy Albatrosses are large, white seabirds with long wings and a dark grey tail. The head is mostly white, contrasting slightly with the sides of the face, which are pale grey; with excellent views, a dark and narrow eyebrow is also visible. Their wings are dark greyish above, while below they are mostly white, with narrow black margins. The bill is generally pale grey-green with a yellow tip. The feet are flesh coloured. Adult males and females appear similar. Juveniles are similar to adults, but with a grey hood.
Rapidly repeated croaking and a drawn-out wail are the main calls. Song recorded by Barry Edmonston from xeno-canto.
In Australia, Shy Albatrosses breed on a handful of islands off Tasmania, but can be readily seen at sea across much of the Southern Ocean, with birds often washed up on beaches in southern Australia.
Habitat: Island, Marine
Shy Albatrosses are usually seen out in the open ocean, though they may be seen from observers looking out to sea from clifftops. They breed on rocky islands.
Behaviour
Usually occur singly or in small groups, Shy Albatrosses are usually seen soaring low over the waves, using the updraft from each wave for lift. In calm conditions, they readily swim on the sea, where flocks may form.
They are often attracted to foraging whales and the wake of fishing trawlers to scavenge discarded seafood.
Feeding
Shy Albatrosses mainly eat squid, octopuses and fish, seizing them from the water’s surface., though sometimes they also swim below the surface in pursuit of marine prey.
They often forage with other species of albatrosses as well as whales, and regularly haunt the wake of fishing boats.
Breeding
Shy Albatrosses nest in dense colonies on offshore islands. Their nests comprise a conical mound of mud and guano, lined with soft material.
They lay a single white egg, which is incubated by both parents in alternating shifts, and the nestling is fed by both parents.
Conservation
Shy Albatrosses often follow ships and trawlers, scavenging and squabbling for offal in large numbers on commercial fishing grounds.
Sadly, these same fishing operations also pose a serious threat to Shy Albatrosses and other seabirds. Birds are often injured or killed by flying into cables on trawling vessels, and they can become snagged on longline fishing hooks in poorly-regulated fisheries.
Shy Albatross are also threatened by rising ocean temperatures and disease, while their nesting sites are being impacted by hotter summers and increasing extreme weather events. In 2020, Shy Albatross were listed as nationally Endangered in Australia.
