Help needed for Opus: identification of the species in the Wandering Albatross complex. (1 Viewer)

[njlarsen]

Dear all,
as these have now been split, I am trying to make pages for these. I have more or less finished the page for Amsterdam:

Amsterdam Albatross - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

I would love to get some help with the other three, especially for the identification section. Anyone who can help provide anything? would definitely be appreciated. Either you can place the info here, or if you feel comfortable, into each of the new pages (I need to remove/reword things from the first of these, mostly it is the presplit text still):

Snowy Albatross - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

Tristan Albatross - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

Antipodean Albatross - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

thanks
Niels

 

[Jon.Bryant]

I would love to get some help with the other three, especially for the identification section. Anyone who can help provide anything? would definitely be appreciated

Hmmm, I was recently trying to revise some of these for a trip to the subantarctic islands, and I think you will be dissapointed!

I understand that the main differences are in biometrics and that identification away from breeding grounds can be impossible. I have been told that where the species come together, such as off Kaikoura, resting Snowies look noticeably larger when in direct comparison with Antipodean. Unfortunately we only saw the latter there, so cannot comment how obvious size difference is.

If you look at Oceanographic Birds of the World (Howell and Zufelt) the book shows ages and types of plumage, and then indicates the multiple species that can show that plumage!

I note you have completed Amsterdam, but I think the great Peter Harrison said that the best way tell Amsterdam is that the vast majority are ringed! I recall that un ringed ‘Amsterdam’ types have occurred off Australia and New Zealand, which are presumed be just one of the commoner species.

These are really percentage birds, rather than birds that can be ID’d with confidence - a certain plumage in a certain area is probably a certain species.

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Jon,
I agree it is bewildering. I think you need to be close to an Amsterdam to identify it - given that a narrow black edge on the cutting edge of the upper mandible seems to be the most important clue! And given that less than 100 birds are thought to exist, finding one will be a great problem.

I tried doing something with similar species, but have not tried to describe all the bewildering types of plumage. I hope I did not butcher it too much.
Niels