Antipodean albatross

Antipodean albatross breed mainly on the Antipodes Islands with 6 pairs breeding on the Campbell Islands. Despite the Antipodes Islands being closer to Kaikoura than the Auckland Islands, we only occasionally see Antipodean albatross here. They can be confused with the Gibson’s albatross, however Antipodean albatross are smaller in size with a narrow face, darker on the upper wing with a distinctive dark crown. The only definitive way of differentiating between these two species is through the beak length, which is impossible to see from a distance at sea without handling the bird