Black-footed Albatross

The Black-footed Albatross is a medium-sized North Pacific albatross with almost entirely dark sooty-brown plumage, setting it apart from most other albatrosses' white-and-grey patterns. Some individuals show a paler, whitish area around the base of the bill and under the tail as they age.

This species breeds on many of the same low Pacific islands as the closely related Laysan Albatross, and the two are often seen mixed together at colonies and while foraging over the open ocean.

Black-footed Albatrosses are strong, wide-ranging fliers, regularly following fishing vessels far out at sea in search of scraps and bait, a behavior that has historically put them at risk from longline fishing hooks.

Key field marks

• Almost uniformly dark sooty-brown plumage overall
• Pale, whitish patch often visible at the base of the bill and around the eye
• Dark legs and feet, dark bill

Similar species

• Laysan Albatross has a white head and underparts, unlike the entirely dark plumage of the Black-footed Albatross, and the two often nest side by side.
• Sooty Albatross species of the Southern Hemisphere are also dark brown but occur in a completely different ocean region, so range prevents confusion.

Black-footed Albatrosses breed mainly on low, sandy islands in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, particularly Midway Atoll and Laysan Island, with additional small colonies elsewhere in the Pacific. Nests are simple scrapes on open sandy or vegetated ground, often near Laysan Albatross nests.

Outside the breeding season, the species ranges widely across the North Pacific, including waters off the west coast of North America, following productive currents in search of food.

Voice

At colonies, Black-footed Albatrosses perform courtship displays with bill-clacking, head movements, and low moaning or whistling calls similar to those of the Laysan Albatross.

Feeding

They feed on flying fish eggs, squid, and small fish taken near the surface, and are well known for following fishing boats to scavenge bait and discarded catch.

Nesting and breeding

Pairs return to the same nest scrape each year, laying a single egg. Both parents share incubation and chick-feeding responsibilities, with chicks fledging after several months on the nesting island.