The Amsterdam albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis) is one of the world’s rarest seabirds — a great albatross that breeds only on Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean, with roughly 80 mature birds left. The IUCN Red List classifies it as Endangered. First described in 1983, it was once thought to be a subspecies of the wandering albatross (D. exulans); genetic evidence now confirms it as a distinct species, recognized by BirdLife International and the IOC.
The Amsterdam Albatross is a magnificent albatross that breeds in brown rather than the more common white plumage. This bird has an average weight of 4.8–8 kg (11–18 lb) and a wingspan of 280–340 cm (110–130 in).
The adult bird has a chocolate brown head and upper body but is white on its face mask, throat, lower breast, and belly. It has a broad brown breast band with brown undertail coverts (vent). Its pink bill has a dark tip and dark cutting edges, and its underwings are white save for the black tip and dark leading edge.
- Status: Endangered (IUCN Red List)
- Known as: Amsterdam Albatross, Amsterdam wandering albatross
- Estimated numbers left in wild: About 80 mature individuals (~130 birds in total); 18 to 25 breeding pairs
Description
Once thought to be a subspecies of the wandering albatross, DNA testing has proven that the Amsterdam albatross is, indeed, a separate species. The Amsterdam albatross is an enormous bird, with a total body length of 107 to 122 centimeters (42 to 48 inches) and a wingspan of up to 340 centimeters (130 inches).
This bird weighs approximately 4.8 to 8 kilograms (11 to 18 pounds). The back of the adult bird is chocolate brown, while the undersides are white and the face has a white mask — making it the only great albatross that keeps a mostly brown plumage as an adult.
The chick has white feathers and both young and adults have a pink beak.
Breeding habits
The Amsterdam albatross breeds only every other year and only in one specific location. The male birds arrive before the females do and nesting begins in the early part of the year (the Southern Hemisphere summer), and both parents breed a single egg.
Once the chick hatches, it is fed every 3 days by the parents, who will travel an astounding 2,400 kilometers in search of food if suitable prey is not available closer to Amsterdam Island. The parents provide so much food to the chick that it will eventually come to weigh more than the mother or father.
It is believed that the Amsterdam albatross only comes ashore to nest and spends the rest of its time in flight. However, so little is known about this rare albatross that its post-nesting distribution is basically unknown.
It is thought that it feeds on squid, fish and crustaceans.
Location
The Amsterdam albatross is found only on Amsterdam Island, French Southern Territories, in the southern Indian Ocean, roughly parallel with the southern coast of Australia.
This is a volcanic island and the birds nest on a high plateau that forms part of the cone at an altitude of between 500–600 meters above sea level.
Albatross reproduction
Amsterdam albatrosses nest on the open marshy ground every two years. The egg is incubated by both parents for a week at a time, with the hatchling emerging after 80 days. For a month, the tiny bird is sheltered, and it takes 230 days for it to fly.
The nestling’s feedings are impacted by its parents’ schedules, which is why it takes three days to grow accustomed to being fed. The chick grows heavier than its parents as it approaches fledging when the additional reserves are drawn on in order to develop feathers.
After fledging, the young albatross spends about five years at sea before returning to the colony, and begins breeding a few years after that. The Amsterdam albatross’s breeding “language” — its ritualized courtship calls — is comparable to that of the wandering (snowy) albatross.
Albatross habitat
The Amsterdam albatross is an endangered species. Amsterdam Island in the Indian Ocean is its only home. It is on the IUCN Red List as Endangered, with a tiny population of about 80 mature individuals (roughly 130 birds in total) that is only slowly recovering after decades of decline. It is at risk because it breeds at a single site, feeds mainly on squid, fish, and crustaceans, and nests where invasive predators such as ship rats and feral cats have taken hold.
The Amsterdam albatross is also threatened at sea by longline fisheries within its foraging range, where birds can be hooked and drowned as bycatch. It is fully protected by French law, and Amsterdam Island is a nature reserve administered by the French authorities. The species is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) and is listed as endangered under the Convention on Migratory Species (the Bonn Convention).
Amsterdam Albatross Behavior
Amsterdam Albatross’ diet is unknown, but it most likely eats fish, squid, and crabs like other albatrosses. It catches its food in the water surface with the bill. In the Indian Ocean, it searches for prey in open water, concentrating around upwellings and where currents meet.
The breeding behavior of this species is presumably similar to that of other Diomedeidae, with well-known, ritualized courtship rituals paired with calls. However, during aerial performances, which are common among this species, two birds may follow each other in flight and at landing while calling.
The majority of them are monogamous and have long-term pair bonds. Parents both take care of all aspects of nesting. The male arrives first on the breeding island, whilst the female comes a week later. They engage in sexual intercourse about a week before the egg is laid.
Because the species is so rare, its movements away from Amsterdam Island outside the breeding season are still poorly understood; possible sightings have been recorded as far off as the waters near Australia and New Zealand.
It is distinguished by its enormous wings. It can soar through the air for up to five hours after running over the water like other albatrosses do. Once in flight, it effortlessly glides for several hours. It comes down on a narrow, long stretch of barren ground away from nesting colonies.
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Conservation
Threats
It is likely that the Amsterdam albatross was never plentiful, but a series of unfortunate events have left it on the brink of extinction. Although sailors in the 18th and 19th Centuries did stop on the island for food, including the albatrosses, the greatest threat is from introduced animals.
A failed attempt to settle the island resulted in cattle and goats being left behind when the settlers left.
From a mere 5 cattle, the number blossomed to over 2,000 and these are primarily responsible for the destruction of the albatross’s nesting places and for direct damage to the nesting birds and chicks.
Goats, of course, were in the process of eliminating every bit of foliage on the island, and introduced dogs, pigs, cats, mice, and rats have played havoc with eggs, chicks, and adult birds.
Just when it was thought that the tide had turned in favor of the albatross, a bacterial disease, brought by other seabirds, began to affect the nesting albatrosses.
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Conservation efforts
The only permanent human residents on Amsterdam Island (a French possession) are scientists and some soldiers.
Because feral cattle badly trampled and grazed the plateau, fences were built to keep them away from the nesting albatrosses, and the cattle were finally eliminated from the island in 2010; goats, dogs, and pigs have also been eradicated.
Efforts are being made to eliminate the cats as well and to control the rodents. Access to the island is strictly controlled, and a second fence to keep the cattle away from nesting areas has been built.
Because longline fishing has resulted in some Amsterdam albatross deaths, officials have worked with fishermen to reduce these casualties.
Organizations
Do you know of or are you a part of an organization that works to conserve the Amsterdam Albatross, then please contact us to have it featured on Our Endangered World.
Conclusion
The Amsterdam albatross is a great albatross found only on Amsterdam Island, French Southern Territories, in the southern Indian Ocean — and, unusually, one that keeps a brown rather than white adult plumage. It breeds only every other year, at this single site. Both parents share incubation of the one egg, which hatches after about 80 days.
The chick is fed by its parents, who will travel up to 2,400 kilometers to source food if necessary, and it takes about 230 days to fledge. The birds eat squid, fish, and crustaceans. Introduced animals such as cattle, cats, and rats destroyed eggs, chicks, and adult birds and degraded the breeding grounds, while disease outbreaks such as avian cholera — all the more dangerous with only one breeding site — remain a serious threat to the Amsterdam albatross.
The world population is estimated at only about 80 mature individuals — roughly 130 birds in total — all descended from a single breeding colony on Amsterdam Island. The IUCN Red List classifies the species as Endangered. It is protected under French law (Amsterdam Island is a national nature reserve), covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), and listed as endangered under the Convention on Migratory Species (the Bonn Convention).
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FAQs
Why does the Amsterdam albatross only breed once every two years?
The Amsterdam albatross breeds only every other year because raising a single chick is such a long, demanding effort. A breeding attempt runs close to a full year — the egg alone is incubated for about 80 days, and the chick then needs around 230 days to fledge — so successful parents spend the following year at sea recovering before they can breed again. This slow, biennial cycle, together with a single breeding site on Amsterdam Island, is part of why the species recovers so slowly.
Is Amsterdam Albatross endangered?
Yes. The IUCN Red List classifies the Amsterdam albatross as Endangered, and its population has been slow to recover. With only about 80 mature individuals (roughly 130 birds in total) and a single breeding site on Amsterdam Island, it remains one of the world’s rarest albatrosses.
It is fully protected under French law on Amsterdam Island, which is a national nature reserve, and is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP).
The species is also listed as endangered under the Convention on Migratory Species (the Bonn Convention). Its main threats today are longline-fishing bycatch at sea and, on land, invasive predators and disease at its single colony.
How many Amsterdam Albatross are left in the wild and what threatens their numbers?
The Amsterdam albatross is under threat from a decrease in the food supply, fishing nets, marine debris, and oil spills. The major hazard is being caught in longline fishing gear, which hooks and ingesting plastic.
They are threatened by introduced cats and rats on Amsterdam Island when breeding. Cattle farming and fire management have damaged and destroyed the nesting sites, making them susceptible to illnesses. The researchers predicted that there are 170 individuals in all, with 80 mature individuals. Each year, 26 pairs breed. The population is thought to be under 100 mature individuals today.
The Amsterdam albatross has been monitored closely since it was described in 1983. Between 1983 and 2009 numbers slowly increased thanks to conservation work on Amsterdam Island, and the species is currently listed as Endangered by the IUCN, with a small population and a very restricted breeding area.
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