The Galapagos is a good place to go on vacation. But, above all, you can enjoy the opportunity to see one of the best birds in the world, such as the Waved Albatross, one of the best specimens of this species.
Exactly where does it extend?
The main reason why phoebastria irrorata, also known as waved albatrosses, are called “Galapagos albatross” is because they spend most of the year on these islands during breeding. However, during the periods he is not breeding, he can be seen on the coasts of Peru, Ecuador or Colombia.
It is a fairly long-lived bird that can live to be 80 years old and quite wandering, as Colombia is one of the areas where it most often wanders.
So what’s it like?
This is a very interesting specimen. Within its family, it is a medium-sized bird that measures up to 90 cm in adulthood and can weigh up to 5 kg.
It is characterized by having a white head dyed yellow in the crown area and the never, with a brown back. Its chest is whitish, with the lower region with bars. Its beak is yellow, opaque in colour, with blue legs.
The back of his body takes on a grayish hue that becomes darker as he approaches his tail. The reason why some people call it “waved albatross” is because the feathers are taking on a wavy shape in this area. There is no sexual dimorphism that can differentiate the male from the female.
Unique customs
The Waved Albatross is an undoubtedly impressive animal. Their diet consists mainly of fish, squid and crustaceans. But in some cases they have been seen feeding on food that has been regurgitated by other birds. When it comes to feeding, they follow straight routes to a single place on the coast of Peru, about 1,000 km east of where they have their breeding sites.
This species is considered an annual breeding species. The first reproduction of the species is usually between 4-6 years of age. Even though they will not breed, individuals return to the colonies at the end of the season, starting at the age of two. It usually nests in areas with very little vegetation, lava and surrounded by boulders. It lays a single egg, so the birth rate of the species is quite low.
The truth is that it is a species that could be said to be half widespread. According to 2001 reports, there were as many as 34,694 adults and two major breeding colonies were found in 2007. This showed that the number of breeding pairs had been significantly reduced from 18,000 40 years ago.
It is currently classified as a species at risk of extinction, as it has lost a great deal of habitat to land exploitation. In addition, the uncontrolled fishing in the area has reduced its food source considerably and the low birth rate does not help these individuals to increase their population.
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