The Albatross is a large-winged bird that lives in the Southern ocean and is at risk of becoming extinct. The Albatross bird is easily recognized and depends entirely on the sea for its existence. Here is everything you need to know about the Albatross bird.

The Defining Features of the Albatross Bird

The Albatross bird is a large web-footed marine bird that is able to travel for long distances. They are mainly found in South Pacific waters. They only visit dry land every two years to breed and are only capable of laying one egg each time. They have a booked bill decorated with horny plates. They are one of the largest of the seabirds. They have thin wings that span up to 12 feet. The body is mainly white and the wings are mainly black. They have a long neck and short legs. They have the potential for a long life span of up to 60 years and feast on fish, squid, rubbish and fish eggs. These birds are able to swallow large amounts of food and hold them for later dumping to feed her offspring. They spend most of their time gliding and circling over the water and sleep in the sea. The even drink sea water. They are completely dependent on the sea. They eat, sleep and drink the sea. They are also attracted to boaters, which is where the problem with their longevity lies.

The Albatross is in Danger of Extinction

The Albatross bird is attracted to fishing boats for a good reason and it's not the people they are interested in. The boats dump fish guts into the water, which is good feed for the birds. The problem is when the birds near the boats to collect and enjoy their feast, they get caught in long line fishing hooks. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 seabirds die early on the end of a fish hook each year. One way to decrease the number of these untimely deaths is to cut back on hook fishing in the dark. These are the hours when the Albatross birds are most vulnerable and are hard for fishermen to spot. Another easy way to reduce this health risk to the Albatross bird is to weight the hook so it sinks fast without causing harm to the birds. With a little extra effort, the graceful Albatross bird can carry on its existence at the sea for many years to come.