Albatross of The Petrel Station
Tutukaka, New Zealand
Watching a massive Albatross soaring effortlessly is one of the great pelagic birdwatching experiences, and The Petrel Station seabird tours can produce an exceptional range of these stunning ocean wanderers.
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ALBATROSS SPECIES SEEN
Albatross are some of the largest birds in the world, and it’s hard to beat the sight of a huge albatross soaring gracefully around the boat, or settled on the water beside us – it’s always a highlight for the birders, wildlife enthusiasts, and photographers onboard.
During autumn, winter and spring these giants of the southern ocean head to our area and The Petrel Station seabird tours have now recorded an outstanding diversity of albatross species offshore from Tutukaka. In the right seasons, tours can produce a remarkable mix with sometimes six or seven species in a day – making this one of New Zealand’s great places to encounter albatross alongside our already exceptional range of other seabirds.
One of the standout specialty species is the stunning Chatham Albatross, rarely seen off mainland New Zealand but now showing up sometimes on our spring tours.
Below are the Albatross species recorded on The Petrel Station seabird tours, along with when they are most likely to be seen — although, as with all pelagic birding, surprises can always occur outside the usual pattern.
JUMP TO SPECIES:
Chatham Albatross • Wandering Albatross • New Zealand Wandering Albatross (Gibson’s) • New Zealand Wandering Albatross (Antipodean) • Northern Royal Albatross • Southern Royal Albatross • Light-mantled Sooty Albatross • Buller’s Albatross • Campbell Albatross • Black-browed Albatross • Salvin’s Albatross • White-capped Albatross • Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross
Chatham Albatross
SPECIALTY SEABIRD of The Petrel Station
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: October to December
Occurrence: Occasional visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche eremita
Chatham Albatross is one of the great specialty seabirds of The Petrel Station seabird tours, and one that many birders hope will appear on our spring seabird tours. It remains a scarce bird off mainland New Zealand, which gives every sighting a real sense of occasion.
These beautiful albatross breed only on the tiny Pyramid in the Chatham Islands, making them a true New Zealand endemic. Over the last few years, The Petrel Station seabird tours have become one of the very few places outside the Chatham Islands where birders have a realistic chance of encountering one, with a handful of spring sightings most years.
They are one of the most striking albatross of all, with a bright yellow bill, dark hood, and wingspan of up to 2.5 metres. When one glides in close and you see that bright yellow bill coming at you, it is always a magical moment.
In New Zealand they are also known as Chatham Mollymawk.
Wandering Albatross (exulans)
When seen: October to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Vagrant visitor
Scientific name: Diomedea exulans
When a Wandering Albatross appears around the boat, the sheer scale is awe-inspiring. Whether soaring effortlessly around us or sitting on the water nearby, these are birds that stop people in their tracks.
They have the largest wingspan of any bird in the world, reaching up to 3.5 metres, with a huge body and an enormous bill to match. They breed in the Southern Ocean rather than New Zealand and are only occasional visitors to our area.
They can appear in a stunning range of plumages, from beautiful dark chocolate-brown immatures to very white majestic adults. Any sighting of one offshore from Tutukaka is a major treat.
New Zealand Wandering Albatross (Gibson’s)
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: April to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Regular visitor
Scientific name: Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni
These huge wandering albatross are among the most impressive birds regularly encountered on The Petrel Station seabird tours. Watching one sweep past the boat with its massive wings outstretched is one of the great thrills of a day offshore.
The Gibson’s subspecies of the New Zealand Wandering Albatross is our most regularly encountered great albatross, breeding on New Zealand’s subantarctic islands and forming part of the New Zealand Wandering Albatross complex. With wingspans up to 3.35 metres, they are massive birds, and their plumage can vary from darker younger birds to very pale adults.
They also create some of the more interesting identification challenges offshore, as birders work through the subtle differences between the various wandering albatross forms.
New Zealand Wandering Albatross (Antipodean)
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: August to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Occasional visitor
Scientific name: Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis
The scarcer Antipodean subspecies of the New Zealand Wandering Albatross is always a special bird to encounter on tour. Like the other wandering albatross, it brings an immediate sense of scale and grandeur whenever it appears around the boat.
It is a New Zealand endemic, breeding in the subantarctic, and is much less frequently encountered here than Gibson’s subspecies of NZ Wandering Albatross. Plumage varies with age, but they tend to retain a dark brown cap on the head, helping give them a distinctive look.
With a wingspan of up to 3.35 metres, this is another enormous seabird, and always a memorable sight offshore.
Northern Royal Albatross
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: April to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Regular visitor
Scientific name: Diomedea sanfordi
Few birds convey grace and scale quite like a Northern Royal Albatross. They are one of the great albatross species of the Southern Ocean, and always a highlight when encountered.
This huge New Zealand endemic belongs to the great albatross group and can reach a wingspan of up to 3.4 metres. They have a crisp, elegant look, with solid dark upperwings and a sharp black cutting edge to the bill.
Whether sweeping around the boat or sitting calmly on the water, they are always an impressive bird to spend time with.
Southern Royal Albatross
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: December (only encountered once)
Occurrence: Very scarce visitor
Scientific name: Diomedea epomophora
A Southern Royal Albatross is a truly magnificent bird to encounter. These are among the largest flying birds on Earth, and any sighting offshore from Tutukaka feels special.
They have the second-largest wingspan in the world, only just behind Wandering Albatross, reaching up to 3.5 metres. They are similar to Northern Royal Albatross, but show more white in the upperwings and along the leading edge.
This is another New Zealand endemic, but it is only very rarely recorded this far north. So far, we have encountered it just once on The Petrel Station seabird tours, making it a very special bird in our area.
Light-mantled Sooty Albatross
When seen: July (only encountered once)
Occurrence: Very scarce visitor
Scientific name: Phoebetria palpebrata
For many, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross is one of the most beautiful albatross of them all. Sleek, elegant, and subtly marked, they have a very different feel from the larger white-bodied albatross.
Their dark plumage shows lovely soft gradients of brown, set off by a striking pale eye ring – just stunning. With a wingspan of up to 2.2 metres, they are also incredibly graceful in flight.
This species breeds in New Zealand and elsewhere in the Southern Ocean, but is a very rare visitor to our area. Any sighting is a real treat.
Buller’s Albatross
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: May to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Regular visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche bulleri
Buller’s Albatross is a beautiful and very distinctive species, with a dark hood and a striking black and bright yellow bill. It is always a pleasure to see well offshore.
This is a New Zealand endemic and one of the regular albatross encountered on The Petrel Station seabird tours, with a wingspan of up to 2.2 metres. Most breed on islands further south, but there is also a tiny population on the Three Kings Islands, the most northern albatross breeding site in New Zealand.
In New Zealand they are also known as Buller’s Mollymawk.
Campbell Albatross
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: April to November (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Regular visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche impavida
Campbell Albatross is a very attractive New Zealand endemic, and one that becomes especially interesting when seen alongside the similar Black-browed Albatross. Telling the two apart can be a rewarding identification challenge, especially in younger birds.
As they mature, Campbell Albatross develop their distinctive amber eye (whereas Black-browed have a dark brown eye), along with a beautiful rose-orange bill. With a wingspan of up to 2.3 metres, they are elegant and impressive seabirds.
In New Zealand they are also known as Campbell Mollymawk.
Black-browed Albatross
When seen: May to November (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Regular visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche melanophris
Black-browed Albatross are another very attractive species, and with a wingspan of up to 2.3 metres, they are stunning to watch soaring around us.
They are especially interesting when seen alongside the similar Campbell Albatross, as separating the two through different ages can be one of the more enjoyable albatross identification challenges offshore. As they mature, Black-browed Albatross show a darker eye than Campbell Albatross, while adults also develop the beautiful rose-orange bill.
In New Zealand they are also known as Black-browed Mollymawk.
Salvin’s Albatross
ENDEMIC SPECIES
When seen: October to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Regular visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche salvini
Salvin’s Albatross is a beautiful species with a light grey hood and a duller yellow bill, giving it a distinctive, refined look among the albatross species we encounter.
This New Zealand endemic reaches a wingspan of up to 2.5 metres and is one of the regular albatross encountered offshore from Tutukaka. Like the other mollymawks, it is always a pleasure to watch as it glides effortlessly around the boat.
In New Zealand they are also known as Salvin’s Mollymawk.
White-capped Albatross
When seen: March to December (occasionally seen at other times)
Occurrence: Common visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche steadi
White-capped Albatross are our most regularly encountered albatross species, and one that helps make offshore Tutukaka such a consistently rewarding place to view albatross. Numbers are highest from autumn through spring, although one or two can still turn up in summer.
They are the largest of the lesser albatross group, with wingspans up to 2.6 metres, and are striking, elegant birds that often give excellent views as they sweep effortlessly around the boat. Seeing several of them together is always a pleasure.
In New Zealand they are also known as White-capped Mollymawk.
indian Yellow-nosed Albatross
When seen: December (only encountered once)
Occurrence: Rare vagrant visitor
Scientific name: Thalassarche carteri
A very uncommon visitor to New Zealand, Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross is the smallest of the lesser albatross group, with a wingspan of up to 2.15 metres.
Although smaller than the other albatross encountered offshore, it is still a smart and elegant seabird, and any sighting in our area is notable. So far, we have encountered it only once on The Petrel Station seabird tours.
In New Zealand they are also known as Indian Yellow-nosed Mollymawk.
This is just one group of the remarkable seabird diversity we’ve recorded on The Petrel Station seabird tours offshore from Tutukaka. Check out the other seabird groups we’ve recorded including Petrels, Shearwaters, Storm Petrels, Prions, Skuas and Other Seabird Species.
You can also visit our Seasons page for an overview of when different species are most likely to be encountered, and explore our past Tour Reports for a fascinating insight into what can be seen offshore on a seabird tour.
We also recommend the very informative www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
Want to experience these amazing seabirds for yourself? Join The Petrel Station seabird tours for an unforgettable day offshore.