Order | rocellariif 



arurormes 



Albatrosses: Family Diomedeidae 



Black-footed Albatross: 



Diomedea ni gripes Audubon 



DESCRIPTION.- "Adults: Face and chin whitish, top of head and rest of upper parts 

 blackish, except for whitish tail coverts and base of tail; under parts sooty gray; bill 

 dusky, feet black. Young: Face with less white, and upper tail coverts dusky. 

 Length: 2.8. 50-36.00, wing 18.50-2.0.50, bill 4.00-4.2.5." (Bailey) Nest: On the 

 ground. Eggr: i, white. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds on many islands in north Pacific, including some in 

 Hawaiian group, and wanders to North American coast from Alaska to Lower 

 California. In Oregon: Of casual occurrence on coast, usually well offshore, though 

 we have seen it within 10 miles of land. 



BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES are not abundant off the Oregon coast but are 

 apparently regular visitors in small numbers during the summer months. 

 Woodcock (1902.) recorded Anthony's statement that both this species and 

 the next are found off the Oregon coast in winter. Jewett reported seeing 

 four, just off the Oregon coast, from his steamer as he came up the coast 

 on May 5, 192.7, and Gabrielson, Jewett, and Braly saw two about 9 miles 

 off Newport Bar on August 30, 1930. These are our only records for the 

 State, and they are all sight records. This big, striking albatross, how- 

 ever, with its dark plumage, dark bill, and dark feet, cannot readily be 

 confused with any other species likely to be found in this territory. 



It is a wonderful spectacle to watch one of these birds on the wing 

 during windy or stormy weather. Its almost miraculous ability to sail 

 across, into, or with the wind without moving its great wings perceptibly 

 and its uncanny skill in turning even the breakers and swells to its own 

 advantage as it skims the surface of the water like a great plane are a 

 never-ending source of wonder to the observer. No bird known to us can 

 compare in powers of flight with this master of the air, and after watching 

 it for a time, we conclude that the flight of even such an aerial expert as 

 the Turkey Buzzard seems that of a novice. 



Short-tailed Albatross: 



Diomedea albatrus Pallas 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults: Mainly white, but head and neck washed with yellowish, 

 tail and most of wings dusky, primaries with yellow shafts; bill and feet yellowish. 

 Young: Plumage sooty brown, darker on head and neck; primary shafts yellowish. 



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