Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross

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Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Procellariiformes
Family:	Diomedeidae
Genus:	Thalassarche
Species:	T. chlororhynchos

Binomial name

Thalassarche chlororhynchos
(Gmelin, 1789)

Synonyms

Thalassarche chlororhynchos chlororhynchos

The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, (Thalassarche chlororhynchos) is a large seabird in the albatross family. This small mollymawk was once considered conspecific with the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross and known as the Yellow-nosed Albatross (some authorities still believe the species to be the same). It is a typical black and white mollymawk with a grey head and large eye patch. It can be told from the Indian Yellow-nosed by its darker head. Relative to other mollymawks it can be distinguished by its smaller size (the wings being particularly narrow) and the thin black edging to the underwing - Grey-headed Albatross has a similar grey head but more extensive and less well defined black markings around the edge of the underwing. Salvin's Albatross also has a grey head but has much broader wings, a pale bill and even more narrow black border's to the underwing.

Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses nest on islands in the mid-Atlantic, including Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island and surrounding islands. Like all albatrosses they are colonial, but unusually they will build their nests in scrub or amongst Blechnum tree ferns. Like all mollymawks they build pedestal nests of mud and other handy materials to lay their one egg in. At sea they range across the south Atlantic from South America to Africa, feeding on squid, fish and crustacea.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2005). Thalassarche chlororhynchos. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered
Brooke, M. (2004). Albatrosses And Petrels Across The World: Procellariidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK ISBN 0-19-850125-0