Black-browed Albatross

Identification

The black-browed albatross is a medium-sized albatross, measuring 80 to 95 cm in length with a wingspan of 200 to 240 cm and weighing between 2.9 to 4.7 kg. Its most distinctive feature is the dark eyebrow-like marking that gives the species its name. Adults display a dark grey saddle and upperwings contrasting sharply with white rump and underparts, while the predominantly white underwing has broad, irregular black margins. The bill is characteristically yellow-orange with a darker reddish-orange tip. Juveniles appear quite different, featuring dark horn-colored bills with dark tips, grey heads and collars, and dark underwings. This species is the most widespread and common member of the albatross family.

Range & Habitat

The black-browed albatross is circumpolar throughout the southern oceans, breeding on 12 islands across its range: the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and Cape Horn Islands in the Atlantic; Islas Ildefonso, Diego de Almagro, Islas Evangelistas, Campbell Island, Antipodes Islands, Snares Islands, and Macquarie Island in the Pacific; and the Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Heard Island, and McDonald Island in the Indian Ocean. The species prefers to forage over shelf and shelf-break areas, with populations from different breeding regions dispersing to distinct feeding grounds—Falkland birds winter near the Patagonian Shelf, South Georgian birds forage in South African waters via the Benguela Current, and Chilean birds range across multiple shelves and even reach New Zealand waters. This species shows a northerly migratory tendency and is the most likely albatross to be found in the North Atlantic.

Behaviour & Diet

Black-browed albatrosses are highly vocal birds, braying to mark territory and cackling harshly within their very noisy colonies. They employ their fanned tail in elaborate courting displays. The species feeds opportunistically on fish, squid, crustaceans, carrion, and fishery discards, and has been observed stealing food from other species.

These birds are annual breeders, typically laying a single egg between late September and early November, though some populations breed about three weeks earlier. Nesting occurs on steep tussock-grass slopes and cliffs, though Falkland Island birds nest on flat coastal grassland. Both sexes share incubation duties for 68 to 71 days. After hatching, chicks require 120 to 130 days to fledge. Juveniles return to colonies after two to three years to practice courtship displays before beginning breeding around their tenth year. The species can live over 70 years in the wild.

Best Time & Places to See It

The black-browed albatross is most reliably encountered at its breeding colonies during the austral spring and summer breeding season. The Falkland Islands support by far the largest population and offer excellent viewing opportunities. South Georgia and the Chilean islands also maintain significant breeding populations. For at-sea observations, the species can be encountered over shelf and shelf-break areas where it forages, with the greatest likelihood of sightings during the austral winter when birds disperse to their feeding grounds. This species' northerly migratory tendency makes it the most likely albatross to be encountered in the North Atlantic, where occasional sightings occur.

Photography Tips

Photographing black-browed albatrosses at breeding colonies captures dynamic behavior, including the dramatic fanned-tail courtship displays and the striking contrast between their dark and white plumage. The distinctive dark eyebrow and orange-yellow bill with its reddish-orange tip provide excellent focal points for portraiture. The species' large wingspan makes in-flight photography particularly rewarding, especially when capturing the broad black wing margins against white undersides. Early morning and late afternoon light best highlights the subtle coloring of the head, back, and bill. At sea, the challenge lies in approaching foraging birds without disturbance; patient observation from boats often rewards photographers with natural feeding and flight behavior.