Amsterdam albatross

Lore & Background

The Amsterdam albatross was first described in 1983, and its taxonomic status has been debated. BirdLife International and the IOC recognize it as a species, as does James Clements' checklist. Mitochondrial DNA comparisons with the wandering, Antipodean, and Tristan albatrosses provide clear genetic evidence that it is a separate species. Its scientific name combines Diomedea, from the Greek hero Diomedes, and amsterdamensis, Latin for the island where it breeds.

This great albatross breeds in brown plumage rather than the more usual white. Adults have chocolate brown upper parts, a white face mask, throat, lower breast, and belly, a broad brown breast band, brown undertail coverts, a pink bill with a dark tip and dark cutting edges, and white underwings with dark tips and leading edges. It breeds biennially in open marshy ground on the Plateau des Tourbières at 500–600 m elevation. Both parents incubate the single egg in alternate stints of about a week; the chick hatches after 80 days, is brooded for a month, and takes 230 days to fledge. Young birds stay at sea for about five years before returning to the colony.

When not breeding, the Amsterdam albatross's whereabouts are uncertain, though there have been possible sightings in Australia and New Zealand. Its feeding ecology is not well understood, but it is believed to eat squid, crustaceans, and fish. Off-duty birds during incubation cover large areas of the Indian Ocean, traveling up to 2,400 km.

Reader's Guide

The Amsterdam albatross is significant as one of the rarest and most endangered albatross species, with a breeding range of only 7 km² on a single island. Its discovery in 1983 and subsequent genetic confirmation as a distinct species highlight the importance of molecular taxonomy in conservation. The population, which numbered just five breeding pairs upon discovery, has increased to 18–25 breeding pairs through conservation efforts, including the elimination of feral cattle in 2010. However, the species remains threatened by introduced ship rats, feral cats, habitat degradation from peat bog drainage, and diseases such as avian cholera. At sea, longline fishing poses a major threat; studies indicate that industrial fishing near breeding grounds can remove up to 5% of the total population per year. The species' low fecundity and delayed sexual maturity make it highly sensitive to such pressures. Conservation measures include banding, frequent censuses, and recommendations to conduct fishing outside foraging areas. The Amsterdam albatross serves as a case study in the vulnerability of island-endemic seabirds and the need for international cooperation to mitigate fisheries bycatch.

Did You Know?

• The Amsterdam albatross was only described in 1983.
• Its breeding range is only 7 km² on Amsterdam Island.
• The population upon discovery was just five breeding pairs; it has since increased to 18–25 breeding pairs.
• Mitochondrial DNA comparisons provide clear genetic evidence that it is a separate species from the wandering albatross.