Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis

Identification Tips:

• Length: 28 inches Wingspan: 85 inches
• Sexes similar
• Large seafaring bird with extremely long wings
• White head, body, undertail coverts, and rump
• Upperwings and back dark
• Black and white patterning on underwings
• Bill and feet pinkish

Similar species:

Similarly pelagic shearwaters and petrels are smaller with shorter wings. Black-footed Albatross has a dark body and head. Other albatross species are rarer and have different patterning on the underwings.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.