Print
Grey-headed albatross
Breeding pairs remaining in the world: 92,300
Where do they breed?: South Georgia, Chile, sub-Antarctic islands in the Indian Ocean and islands off New Zealand
Wingspan: 220 cm
Length (beak to tail): 70-85 cm
Average lifespan: Up to 30 years
Diet: It feeds mainly on squid and fish, but shrimps, lobster, carrion and lampreys are locally important. It actively scavenges longline baits
Scientific name:Thalassarche chrysostoma
Threat level: Vulnerable
Why they need your help
Grey-headed albatrosses breed every other year, making their population particularly vulnerable to fisheries-related deaths.
Tracking of individual birds show that during the non-breeding season this species is extremely widespread. It therefore comes into contact with a number of fisheries.
In Australian waters, up to 400 individuals were killed annually in 1989-1995 by Japanese longliners.
In the Indian Ocean, illegal or unregulated fishing for Patagonian toothfish killed an estimated 10,000-20,000 albatrosses (mainly this species) in 1997 and 1998.
The largest breeding population of this species is found on South Georgia, a UK Overseas Territory. If the severe decline in numbers observed here were to also occur elsewhere, the species is likely to be moved up a threat level to Endangered.
The long-term decline in numbers on Campbell Island began well before the development of local longline fisheries. It appears that environmental factors are the biggest cause of grey-headed albatross declines here, possibly due to rising sea-surface temperatures which have resulted in food shortages.