July bird of the month: Shy Albatross

5 things about Shy Albatross

Here are 5 things you may or may not know about your July bird of the month, the Shy Albatross!

1. They’re Australia’s only endemic Albatross species

Shy Albatrosses breed in Australian waters and are our only endemic albatross species, nesting exclusively on three small islands off the coast of Tasmania.

These majestic seabirds occur widely throughout the subantarctic and subtropical waters of the southern oceans. In Australian waters, Shy Albatrosses are found along our eastern and southern coasts, from Stradbroke Island in Queensland to Carnarvon in Western Australia, while juvenile birds are known to travel as far as South Africa.

Seabirds like albatross are pelagic species – preferring to feed in the open ocean, out past the continental shelf. However, Shy Albatrosses often also venture closer to shore, where they can be spotted from clifftops.

2. They can travel up to 1,000 kilometres in a single day! 

Spending much of their lives at sea and on the wing, albatrosses are renowned for their ability to cover vast distances – and the Shy Albatross is no exception.

With their elongated wings and huge wingspans (measuring almost 2.6 metres across!), Shy Albatrosses use a technique called dynamic soaring to harvest kinetic energy from strong ocean winds. Without needing to expend energy by flapping their wings, they can glide effortlessly across oceans – travelling as far as 1000 kilometres in just 24 hours in search of food, resting only occasionally on the water’s surface.

3. They’re skilled fishermen

Shy Albatrosses feed mostly on fish, crustaceans, squid and cuttlefish, which they prefer to snatch from the water’s surface. However, using their long wings to propel them, Shy Albatrosses sometimes also plunge-dive for prey and can swim to depths of more than seven metres.

Shy Albatrosses will sometimes gather in large flocks to feed. They’re also known to forage alongside other seabirds and marine mammals such as dolphins, whales and fur seals, which drive prey to the surface and allow for easier hunting.

4. They’re long-lived

Like other albatross species, Shy Albatrosses can reach an impressive age. While the oldest confirmed age of a Shy Albatross was just shy of 40-years-old, it’s likely that they can live much longer.

5. They’re not so shy

Shy Albatrosses are said to be so-named due to their reluctance to approach the boats of early fishermen at sea, but their shy reputation doesn’t hold up – instead, 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.