Buller's Albatross Thalassarche bulleri Scientific name definitions

The Buller’s Albatross is a member of the southern hemisphere group of albatross called the “mollymawks”. All species are fairly similar, being dark above, light below, with brightly colored bills. Buller’s Albatross is best distinguished from the other mollymawks by its characteristic underwing pattern; a thick black bar on the leading edge of the wing and very thin black line on the trailing edge. The species has a fairly restricted distribution. It breeds on four islands off the coast of New Zealand and only feeds in the South Pacific generally in the 40º latitude band, the ‘roaring 40s’ where sustained strong winds allow it to effortlessly travel great distances in search of cephalopods.

76–81 cm; male 2500–3800 g, female 2150–3200 g (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 2 Stahl, J.-C. and Sagar, P.M. (2006). Long and short trips in nonbreeding Buller’s Albatrosses: relationships with colony attendance and body mass. Condor. 108(2): 348–365. Close ); wingspan 205–213 cm. Characteristic underwing pattern , with black frame broad on leading edge, narrow on trailing edge. Adult has grey to ash-brown hood over head and neck, often quite pale on upperside, fading to silvery white on cap , and darkening to blackish brown on mantle, while has blackish ‘eyebrow’ similar to that of previous species and strongly contrasting with narrow white crescent framing rear part of eye; brownish-black back, scapulars and upperwing, except pale shafts to outer primaries, white rump and uppertail-coverts; darkish grey tail; underwing clean white except very narrow blackish trailing edge and much broader blackish tips and leading edge, latter broadest on basal half of wing; underparts from breast white; iris amber-brown to dark brown; bill has rich yellow upper and lower ridges, including tip (culminicorn, maxillary unguis and lower half of ramicorn), otherwise blackish except narrow orange line at very base of mandible; gape orange (usually concealed); legs  pale blue-grey and pinkish. Sexes similar, but male averages larger than female in most measurements (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). More extensive yellow on culmen and bill tip separate from T. chrysostoma. Race <em>platei</em> has darker head and broader bill. Juvenile similar to adult but hood slightly darker brownish grey, and cap often not so clean and contrasting; bill mostly dull brownish or greyish horn with blacker tip. Identification of younger birds from the larger and bulkier T. salvini and T. eremita can be challenging. First-cycle birds of both bulleri and platei have bill dusky-flesh with contrasting black naricorn line, blackish distal patch and pale tip; the latericorn is often slightly greyer, whereas the culminicorn and ramicorn are usually slightly paler yellowish to pinkish; the head is paler than dusky neck-sides (some bleach almost whitish) and ‘black brow’ usually reduced to dark smudge in front of eye, while blackish leading edge to underwing is often slightly messier and more extensive than on older birds, but still blacker and more sharply demarcated than on first-cycle salvini. Second-cycle birds have relatively adult-like bill pattern by Oct–Nov, with dark grey latericorn, yellow culminicorn and ramicorn, and variable blackish subterminal band on the ungues; the head-sides are greyer than first-cycle, with slightly bolder ‘black brow’ and more contrasting whitish forehead, while the black leading edge averages neater and more solidly black than on first-cycle birds (3 Howell, S.N.G. (2009). Identification of immature Salvin’s, Chatham and Buller’s Albatrosses. Neotropical Birding. 4: 19–24. Close ).

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Marine and pelagic , rarely approaching land except at colonies. Breeds on remote islands on grassy slopes or among boulders, usually in areas with sparse vegetation, e.g. on narrow coastal terraces (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); at Snares and Solander Is nests under Olearia forest.

Race bulleri was until recently thought to relatively sedentary, dispersing only to adjacent waters and W to S Tasmania, regularly ranging up to 1190–2180 km straight-line distance from their colonies and generally foraging over continental slope E & W of South I, New Zealand (8 Sagar, P.M. and Weimerskirch, H. (1996). Satellite tracking of Southern Buller’s Albatrosses from the Snares, New Zealand. Condor. 98(3): 649–652. Close , 2 Stahl, J.-C. and Sagar, P.M. (2006). Long and short trips in nonbreeding Buller’s Albatrosses: relationships with colony attendance and body mass. Condor. 108(2): 348–365. Close ). Only occasionally observed at subantarctic Macquarie I (Feb and Mar) (9 Clarke, R.H. and Schulz, M. (2005). Land-based observations of seabirds off sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island during 2002 and 2003. Marine Ornithology 33(1):7–17. Close ). Recent records off South Africa(Aug 1995) (10 Ertel, R. and Rose, B. (1997). Erstnachweis eines Bulleralbatrosses Diomedea bulleri für Afrika [First African record of Buller’s Albatross Diomedea bulleri]. Limicola. 11(6): 306–309. Close ) and off S Argentine (Dec 2012) (11 Tamini, L.L. and Chavez, L.N. (2014). First record of Buller’s Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) from a fishing vessel in the south-western Atlantic Ocean off Southern Patagonia (Argentina). Polar Biology. 37: 1209–1212. Close ). Race platei long known to be migratory, moving E across S Pacific to W coast  of S America, where mainly observed between 30º S and 40º S off Chile and numbers peak in austral spring (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), with one record at entrance to Falkland Sound (12 Shirihai, H. (2007). A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife. The Birds and Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. Second edition. A. & C. Black, London, UK. Close ); probably returns by same route. However, recent evidence indicates that, in fact, both populations migrate to waters of Humboldt Current, principally off Chile (3 Howell, S.N.G. (2009). Identification of immature Salvin’s, Chatham and Buller’s Albatrosses. Neotropical Birding. 4: 19–24. Close ).

Mostly cephalopods (especially ommastrephid squid, Nototodarus, Moroteuthopsis ingens); also some fish (Moridae), tunicates (Pyrosoma) and crustaceans. Usually takes prey by surface-seizing ; also known to make shallow dives from air or from water surface. Habitually follows ships .

Three principal vocalizations, namely a croaking call (of which the male’s version is more prolonged than that of the female), a wailing call lasting 2·2 seconds, given mainly by males, in courtship, and a multi-noted groaning call, while four types of mechanical sounds, generated by  contact between the mandibles, have been described (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Annual, starting Oct (platei) or Jan (bulleri), with last-named taxon returning to colonies in Dec (males on average seven days earlier than females), egg-laying usually lasting c. 50 days (although mean date is typically 21–23 Jan), mean hatching date 2 Apr and mean fledging date 2 Sept (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), whereas chicks of platei typically fledge in May/Jun (12 Shirihai, H. (2007). A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife. The Birds and Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. Second edition. A. & C. Black, London, UK. Close ). Monogamous and pair-bonds usually life-long (12 Shirihai, H. (2007). A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife. The Birds and Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. Second edition. A. & C. Black, London, UK. Close ): divorce rare (1·1–3·5% annually), and first-time and former breeders mate more frequently with birds of similar status (85% and 58% respectively) than might be expected from random pairings, while following divorce or death the average interval prior to breeding again is 2·1 years for males and 2·6 years for females (13 Sagar, P.M., Stahl, J.-C. and Molloy, J. (2002). The influence of experience, pair bond duration, and partner change on breeding frequency and success in southern Buller’s mollymawk (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri). Notornis. 49(3): 145–152. Close ). Although natal philopatry is apparently high (of 86 birds on Snares that were recaptured as breeders, 57 were found within 100 m of their natal nest-site and 29 dispersed over distances of 100–2430 m) (14 Sagar, P.M., Stahl, J.-C. and Molloy, J. (1998). Sex determination and natal philopatry of Southern Buller’s Mollymawks (Diomedea bulleri bulleri). Notornis. 45(4): 271–278. Close ), the lack of genetic variation among the different insular populations of bulleri suggests some degree of emigration and colony switching occurs (15 Van Bekkum, M., Sagar, P.M., Stahl, J.-C. and Chambers, G.K. (2006). Natal philopatry does not lead to population genetic differentiation in Buller’s albatross (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri). Molecular Ecology. 15: 73–79. Close ), apparently mainly during the first three years of pre-breeding (16 Stahl, J.-C. and Sagar, P.M. (2006). Behaviour and patterns of attendance of non-breeding birds at the breeding colony in a Buller’s albatross Thalassarche bulleri population at The Snares. Notornis. 53(4): 327–338. Close ). Forms dispersed  colonies; nest is pile of grass, roots and mud  , with central depression. Single whitish egg  marked with fine brownish-red spots at broad end (12 Shirihai, H. (2007). A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife. The Birds and Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. Second edition. A. & C. Black, London, UK. Close ), mean size (bulleri) 103·1 mm × 64·7 mm, mass 246 g (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), with size apparently declining with age of female (17 Sagar, P.M. and Warham, J. (1993). A long-lived Southern Buller’s Mollymawk (Diomedea bulleri bulleri) with a small egg. Notornis. 40(4): 303–304. Close ); incubation c. 69–72 days, with shifts averaging 10–11 days (excluding female’s first short shift) in bulleri, but just 2–4 days in platei (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); chicks have whitish or pale grey down, brooded 15–30 (usually 23–25) days (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); fledging 147–189 (mean 167) days (bulleri) (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Foraging trips from colony can occupy up to 22 days (2 Stahl, J.-C. and Sagar, P.M. (2006). Long and short trips in nonbreeding Buller’s Albatrosses: relationships with colony attendance and body mass. Condor. 108(2): 348–365. Close ). Breeding success 57% on Snares (in 1972) and 57–60% on Chathams (1994–1996) (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), but at Snares between 1992 and 2001 increased to 71%, with lowest success among different cohorts, being for first-time breeders (58%) (13 Sagar, P.M., Stahl, J.-C. and Molloy, J. (2002). The influence of experience, pair bond duration, and partner change on breeding frequency and success in southern Buller’s mollymawk (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri). Notornis. 49(3): 145–152. Close ). Sexual maturity at 7–9 years, but generally return to colony at age six; at Snares Is, non-breeders comprised 31–32% of birds ashore in Mar–May (incubation to early chick-rearing), 44% in Jul (late chick-rearing) and 51% overall (16 Stahl, J.-C. and Sagar, P.M. (2006). Behaviour and patterns of attendance of non-breeding birds at the breeding colony in a Buller’s albatross Thalassarche bulleri population at The Snares. Notornis. 53(4): 327–338. Close ). Approximately 90% of intact pairs breed during following season: breeding frequency is lowest among pairs of first-time breeders (77%), increasing to 89% after second attempts, and became similar to that of established pairs together for at least one previous effort (88%) or newly formed pairs in which one or both birds had previous experience (91%) (13 Sagar, P.M., Stahl, J.-C. and Molloy, J. (2002). The influence of experience, pair bond duration, and partner change on breeding frequency and success in southern Buller’s mollymawk (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri). Notornis. 49(3): 145–152. Close ). Survival of young from fledging to pre-breeding period estimated at 59% at Snares (16 Stahl, J.-C. and Sagar, P.M. (2006). Behaviour and patterns of attendance of non-breeding birds at the breeding colony in a Buller’s albatross Thalassarche bulleri population at The Snares. Notornis. 53(4): 327–338. Close ). Adult survival on same archipelago > 95% in 1961–1968 and 1992–1997, but 91·3–92·8% during intervening period, and birds older than 30+ years tend to have much lower survival probabilities, at c. 70% (18 Sagar, P.M., Molloy, J., Weimerskirch, H. and Warham, J. (2000). Temporal and age-related changes in survival rates of Southern Buller’s Albatrosses (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri) at the Snares, New Zealand, 1948 to 1997. Auk. 117(3): 699–708. Close ). Known to have reached over 51 years old in wild (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); one pair ringed in 1948, regularly controlled at nest in subsequent seasons and still breeding together at same site in 1971, and the female of this pair was found breeding again in 1993 (17 Sagar, P.M. and Warham, J. (1993). A long-lived Southern Buller’s Mollymawk (Diomedea bulleri bulleri) with a small egg. Notornis. 40(4): 303–304. Close ).

Not globally threatened. Currently treated as Near Threatened. Population relatively small and localized. Race bulleri numbered 4750 pairs in Snares Is (late 1970s), and 4000–5000 on Solander I, with total of c. 50,000 birds; race platei c. 25,000 breeding pairs in Chatham Is, and total population of c. 100,000 birds. More recent estimates as follows: for bulleri, 8460 pairs in 1992 (19 Sagar, P.M., Molloy, J., Tennyson, A.J.D. and Butler, D. (1994). Numbers of Buller’s Mollymawks breeding at the Snares Islands. Notornis. 41(2): 85–92. Close ), 8877 pairs in 1997 and 8713 pairs in Feb/Mar 2002 on Snares (North-East I, Broughton I and several small islets), and 2625 pairs in Feb 1996 on Solander Is (Big Solander, Little Solander and adjacent stacks) (20 Sagar, P.M., Stahl, J. C., Molloy, J., Taylor, G.A. and Tennyson, A.J.D. (1999). Population size and trends within the two populations of Southern Buller's Albatross Diomedea bulleri bulleri. Biological Conservation. 89: 11–19. Close ), where there were 4912 pairs in Feb/Mar 2002 (21 Sagar, P.M. and Stahl, J.-C. (2005). Increases in the numbers of breeding pairs in two populations of Buller’s Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri bulleri). Emu. 105(1): 49–55. Close ), while platei has apparently decreased, with crude estimates of 16,000 pairs on Forty-Fours, 1500 pairs on Big Sister I and 650 pairs on Little Sister I (all in Chathams), as well as 20 pairs on Rosemary Rock, in Three Kings Is, off North I (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Pelagic population estimates for the Humboldt Current, analyzed using generalized additive models, peaked at 26,700 individuals (range 13,100–37,100), based on surveys performed between 1980 and 1995 (22 Spear, L.B., Ainley, D.G. and Webb, S.W. (2003). Distribution, abundance and behaviour of Buller’s, Chatham Island and Salvin’s Albatrosses off Chile and Peru. Ibis. 145(2): 253–269. Close ). Main cause of mortality at breeding stations may be predation by skuas (Catharacta) and giant petrels (Macronectes), e.g. at Snares Is, while introduced Wekas (Gallirallus australis) take eggs of this species on Big Solander (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); incidental mortality at commercial fishing grounds and competition with fisheries also likely to be significant, given that approximately 8% of all seabirds killed within the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone in 1997/98 were of this species (1 Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).