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Which albatross? Kaikoura NZ (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Wiganlad
- Start date
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
I was going to say Royal, of the Southern form but black tail tip makes it Wandering.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Did I ammend my post after you replied, sorry, I agree with you.
Photos 2-4 suggest there's a black upper cutting edge to the bill. This would make it Amsterdam according to this:
Extra-limital Tristan albatross and Amsterdam albatross have the same plumage states as Antipodean albatross, though Amsterdam albatross has a dark cutting edge to the upper mandible
http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/wandering-albatross
However, I don't think we can be confident that this is a real feature rather than an artefact, and the same page suggests Amsterdam is extra-limital. So I'd say "wandering" meaning wandering / snowy or Antipodean. [Edit: forgot to say, as well as the tail, I think white spreading patch at the central base of the wing points to this sp. rather than Royal]
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
You'll note that I mentioned the Southern form of Royal, it shows a very similar patch.
https://www.flickriver.com/photos/152241866@N05/48616677822/
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Alan henry
Well-known member
Wing pattern all wrong for South Royal Albatross. Certainly not an Amsterdam or Antipodean.
See no reason why it is not a Wandering (Snowy) Albatross
Cheers
Alan
See no reason why it is not a Wandering (Snowy) Albatross
Cheers
Alan
Further to 'My first albatross'
You've now moved into my next question re. race. I purposely showed pics 2 and 3 in particular because it does seem to show a dark cutting edge which this later bird sitting on water does not show. The Royals have that black edge but as Andy and I thought, the black on tail of my original bird stops it being Royal (we think!)
You've now moved into my next question re. race. I purposely showed pics 2 and 3 in particular because it does seem to show a dark cutting edge which this later bird sitting on water does not show. The Royals have that black edge but as Andy and I thought, the black on tail of my original bird stops it being Royal (we think!)
Attachments
Just found a sheet of paper given out by our boat driver/guide and he ticks it as Diomedea exulans gibsoni (with no ticks next to 'antipodensis'). Verbally he called it "Wandering" but searching through Avibase and Birdforum Opus plus Handbook of Birds of the World Alive I find that 'gibsoni' is either a species of its own or subspecies of 'antipodensis'. 'Wandering' now seems limited to South Atlantic and 'Snowy' is just another name for 'Wandering', which according to IOC's BOW list exists everywhere EXCEPT NZ! Any thoughts gratfully accepted!
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
The IOC list only lists breeding ranges - Wandering regularly do complete circuits of the Southern Ocean when not breeding.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Why isn't it just a Gibson's?
The link I posted & other web stuff suggests that the two/three forms (Gibson's/Antipodean Vs Wandering [=snowy] aren't separable except on size when you can see 2 birds next to each other.
Could you elaborate and explain why Amsterdam and Antipodean are out of the picture? My impression is that the commonest there would be Antipodean
[Edit:i.e.taking Gibson's/Antipodean as one thing; presume more or less indistinguishable..?]
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Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Being true pelagic species, you can't rule anything out on range?
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Gibson's is very regular at Kaikoura, several usually on each trip
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Yes, I think Gibson's is the default form of wandering albatross there, with a few Snowy and Antipodean getting reported. Time of year might effect proportions
RobHynson
Well-known member
You have a Gibsons's albatross here.
It's not either the 2 Royals due to the black tail, the white patches in the wings and the lack of a clear dark cutting edge of the bill. Some birds in the wandering albatross complex can show a dark cutting edge due to a shadow in the photo and some of the birds in NZ do have a subtle dark cutting edge but not like either of the Royals.
Its not an exulans as the structure of the bird is to compact and the bill to stubby. Antipodensis would have a dark cap and chest band.
I can post some photos from Australia as examples if anyone is interested.
Rob
It's not either the 2 Royals due to the black tail, the white patches in the wings and the lack of a clear dark cutting edge of the bill. Some birds in the wandering albatross complex can show a dark cutting edge due to a shadow in the photo and some of the birds in NZ do have a subtle dark cutting edge but not like either of the Royals.
Its not an exulans as the structure of the bird is to compact and the bill to stubby. Antipodensis would have a dark cap and chest band.
I can post some photos from Australia as examples if anyone is interested.
Rob
Rob is there a good web resource with details of how to separate these 3+ forms (3+ if we include Amsterdam etc)
