Albatross Encounter

Northern royal albatross with the distinctive dark upper wing extending from the body of the bird to the wing tip.

The southern royal albatross has more white on the upper wing (especially leading edge) near the body.

050 has been nesting in the main albatross study area on the Auckland Islands since he was first banded in 1997. He is at least 23 years or older. He has had the same partner throughout, breeding regularly every second year, but a tragedy befell them recently. In December 2008 Kath Walker reported his partner crashed-landed near the nest and broke a wing, and subsequently died. Kath thinks he is unlikely to get a new partner any time soon, as there has been a higher female than male mortality over the last few years, and there is now a sex imbalance.