The albatross is a legendary seabird, renowned for its mastery of the open ocean. These birds are predominantly found traversing the vast distances of the Southern Ocean, with a few species inhabiting the North Pacific. They are famous for their impressive wingspans, which, in the largest species like the Wandering Albatross, can stretch up to twelve feet, the longest of any living bird. They spend most of their lives gliding over the waves.
Assessing the Threat
Albatrosses pose no danger to humans. They are naturally non-aggressive and generally shy, preferring to keep a distance from human activity when nesting on land. Though they are large and can appear imposing, they do not perceive people as prey or competitors. Historical accounts of aggressive albatrosses are likely misidentifications, possibly confusing them with more predatory species like the Giant Petrel.
The greatest risk they present is accidental injury from their immense size if they were to collide with someone during an awkward landing or takeoff. They are notably clumsy on land, sometimes tripping over their own feet or crash-landing into colonies. This awkwardness is why sailors nicknamed them “gooney,” a term derived from a word for a foolish person.
Anatomy and Behavior
The perception of danger often stems from the bird’s sheer physical scale and unique anatomy. Their massive wings are built for dynamic soaring, enabling them to harness wind currents and travel thousands of miles with minimal flapping. This adaptation allows them to spend years at sea, only returning to land for breeding.
The albatross possesses a large, strong beak that is hooked at the tip. This distinctive feature is an adaptation for capturing and holding slippery prey like squid and fish, not for attacking humans. The bill is composed of several separate plates of keratin and is equipped with specialized tubes for excreting excess salt from the seawater they drink.
Interactions with Humans
The most common human-albatross interaction occurs at sea, often around fishing vessels. Rather than being aggressive, albatrosses are attracted to boats, viewing them as potential sources of an easy meal. They are opportunistic scavengers and will follow a vessel to feed on discarded fish waste or bait.
This behavior is purely about foraging, not confrontation, and is a learned response to human activity. Tracking data shows that a small percentage of albatrosses specialize in following fishing fleets, relying on the discards as a supplementary food source. Their indifference toward people is a reflection of having few natural predators in their open-ocean environment.
Threats to Albatross Populations
The relationship between humans and albatrosses is reversed, with people posing a significant danger to the birds. The primary threat they face is bycatch mortality, particularly from longline fishing, where they are accidentally hooked and drowned while trying to snatch bait. Tens of thousands of albatrosses are killed this way each year, contributing to the threatened status of 15 of the 22 species.
Another peril is the ingestion of plastic debris, which they often mistake for food floating on the ocean surface. This plastic can cause blockages, starvation, or toxicity; studies estimate that nearly all Laysan Albatross chicks are fed plastic pollution by their parents. Conservation efforts now focus on implementing bird-friendly fishing techniques, like streamer lines and weighted hooks, to mitigate these human-caused threats.