Black browed albatross rookery, Saunders Island, Falklands

I love albatrosses. I am especially fascinated by their long circumpolar flights. In 2015 whilst in the sub Antarctic Islands of the Falklands in November I presented you with over 300 pairs of mating pairs of Black Browed Albatross, some sitting on eggs( November) along with a photograph of mine exactly where my hero David Attenborough sat in his Living Planet' series on BBC. In 2025 I was back in Falklands in April when the eggs had hatched and the fledglings almost ready to fly. My interested readers will find only one image of a parent feeding a chick and a few others flying out to bring food. Most of the other chicks( note the down still left on their bodies)can be seen moving their wings a lot to strengthen the flight muscles since they will be taking off in a few days along with the Austral winter winds soon to blow them away. Their parents have already abandoned them forcing them to leave the rookery.

Black-browed Albatross is a large seabird known for its impressive physical appearance. It has a wingspan that can reach up to 7.9 feet (2.4 meters), making it one of the largest birds in the world. With such a vast wingspan, it is capable of soaring through the skies effortlessly, utilizing the ocean’s winds to its advantage often covering 10000 miles in a journey.
As primarily pelagic birds, Black-browed Albatrosses spend most of their lives at sea, only coming to land for breeding purposes.
During the breeding season, Black-browed Albatrosses gather in large colonies on remote islands, often returning to the same nesting site year after year. These colonies can contain thousands of pairs, creating a bustling and noisy environment. The birds construct nests on the ground using vegetation, feathers, and mud, and both parents take turns incubating the single egg. The incubation period lasts around 70 days, during which the parents endure harsh weather conditions, including strong winds and freezing temperatures.

Once the chick hatches, it is entirely dependent on its parents for food and protection. The parents take turns foraging at sea and returning to the nest to feed their chick. They regurgitate a thick, oily substance called “stomach oil” that provides essential nutrients to their offspring. This feeding process continues for several months until the chick is ready to fledge. Black-browed Albatross chicks have a long fledging period, typically taking around 140 days to gain the strength and skills necessary for independent life."
How to protect oneself from travel calamities
















The greatest threat to these birds seems to be an increase in by-catch due to long-line sea fishing practices in the southern oceans, particularly off the coasts of Argentina and Uruguay along the Patagonian shelf. Further threats include natural disasters (fires, floods, and volcanic activity), disruption of prey populations, ingesting plastic, pollution, habitat destruction, and disease.

How to protect oneself from travel calamities