Wandering Albatross

The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to about 3.5 metres, and it spends most of its life gliding over the open waters of the Southern Ocean, coming ashore only to breed on remote subantarctic islands. Its long, narrow wings allow it to travel enormous distances with very little energy expenditure by exploiting wind currents over the waves, and individuals can circle the globe multiple times in a single year while foraging for squid, fish and other marine life, often following ships to feed on scraps. Wandering albatrosses mate for life and engage in elaborate courtship dances, but they reproduce slowly, laying a single egg only every second year and raising the chick over many months. The species is classified as vulnerable, with populations threatened chiefly by longline fishing, in which birds are accidentally hooked and drowned while attempting to take bait.