Sooty Albatross
Phoebetria fusca (Hilsenberg, 1822)
2.6 kgWeight
The sooty albatross (Phoebetria fusca), also known to sailors as the Quaker, is a species of marine bird belonging to the albatross family Diomedeidae.
Busiest months: April · Most records: Australia, St. Helena, Falkland Islands
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: April · Most records: Australia, St. Helena, Falkland Islands
Sooty Albatross has been recorded at 13 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic TripAustralia166 records
- Nearshore waters (0-2mi/3km) - Gaggins Point to Rockhopper PointSt. Helena25 records
- Edinburgh of the Seven SeasSt. Helena24 records
More places
- Nightingale IslandSt. Helena21 records
- Nearshore waters (0-2mi/3km) - AnchorageSt. Helena13 records
- Gough Island general pelagic - CircumnavigationSt. Helena8 records
- Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands6 records
- Wharf PointHeard & McDonald Islands2 records
- Baie du MarinFrench Southern Territories2 records
- ElsehulSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands1 record
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The sooty albatross (Phoebetria fusca), also known to sailors as the Quaker, is a species of marine bird belonging to the albatross family Diomedeidae. It is a medium-sized albatross that sports a sooty-brown or sooty-black color. It can be found in the southern Atlantic Ocean, the southern Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Sooty Albatross?
The Sooty Albatross weighs around 2.6 kg.
Where does the Sooty Albatross live?
Its breeding range: Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean: temperate and subantarctic islands Tristan da Cunha group including Gough (south-central Atlantic Ocean), Amsterdam and St. Paul islands (south-central Indian Ocean), Prince Edward, Crozet and Kerguelen islands (southwestern to southeastern Indian Ocean). It is most often recorded in Australia, St. Helena and Falkland Islands.
When is the best time to see the Sooty Albatross?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Sooty Albatross endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Sooty Albatross as Endangered.
What does the Sooty Albatross eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the Sooty Albatross in?
It belongs to the family Albatrosses (Diomedeidae), order Procellariiformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 2.6 kg
- Habitat
- Ocean
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- On the water surface
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Endangered
More measurements
- Wing
- 510 mm
- Tail
- 269 mm
- Bill
- 109 mm
- Tarsus
- 76 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean: temperate and subantarctic islands Tristan da Cunha group including Gough (south-central Atlantic Ocean), Amsterdam and St. Paul islands (south-central Indian Ocean), Prince Edward, Crozet and Kerguelen islands (southwestern to southeastern Indian Ocean)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Procellariiformes
- Family
- Albatrosses Diomedeidae
- Genus
- Phoebetria
Other birds in the genus Phoebetria
Light-mantled AlbatrossPhoebetria palpebrata
Northern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea sanfordi
Southern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophora
Snowy AlbatrossDiomedea exulans
Tristan AlbatrossDiomedea dabbenena
Antipodean AlbatrossDiomedea antipodensis
Amsterdam AlbatrossDiomedea amsterdamensis
Waved AlbatrossPhoebastria irrorata
Laysan AlbatrossPhoebastria immutabilis
Black-footed AlbatrossPhoebastria nigripes
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Paul G. Schrijvershof. ↗
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