​ALBATROSS
Bird     -      Vertebrate     -      Carnivore
Male:  Albatross
Female:  Albatross
Young:  Chick,  Infant
ALBATROSS
  • ​Eat fish, squid and crustaceans and drink seawater.
  • Are the largest sea birds in the world - with a wingtip to wingtip length of approximately 3.2 metres.
  • Spend most of their lives at sea and only come to land to make their nests.
  • Nest in rookeries on cliff edges.
  • Most are found in the southern hemisphere from Antarctica to Australia, South Africa and South America.
  • The North Pacific albatrosses are found in the North Pacific from Hawaii to Japan, California and Alaska.
  • The Waved Albatross breeds in the Galapagos Islands and feeds off the coast of South America.
  • Gets rid of the salt in drips from its huge 'tub-nose' and this makes it look as if it is crying.
  • Because the albatross depends on the wind to fly, and sailors depend upon the wind to sail, the albatross became a good omen to sailors.
  • Don't breed until they are about 10 years old and some are known to breed at the age of 60 years.
  • Can sleep while it flies.
  • Can fly around the world in less than 2 months.​
                                 'THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER', by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

"There was a ship", said the mariner, as he commenced his sorrowful tale. A storm-blast “tyrannous and strong” drove the ship and crew deep into the southern ocean which was “wondrous and cold”, and full of sea ice.

A great bird, an albatross came to visit the crew. A peaceful creature, the albatross came to the mariner’s ship often. The great white bird was a symbol of good luck for the seamen. ​

                      This poem was written in 1797-1798.