# Wandering Albatross (*Diomedea exulans*)

> The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is a giant seabird of the Southern Ocean, boasting the widest wingspan of any living bird. It weighs around 8 to 12 kg (18 to 26 lb) and glides across the waves at up to 80 km/h (50 mph) with barely a wingbeat. Feeding on squid, fish, and carrion snatched from the sea surface, it is one of the longest-lived birds, reaching 40 to 50 years. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Southern Ocean — breeding on sub-Antarctic islands including South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and Macquarie.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/albatross/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Procellariiformes
- **Family:** Diomedeidae
- **Genus:** Diomedea

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Diomedea exulans |
| Diet | Carnivore — squid, fish, and carrion |
| Habitat | Southern Ocean and sub-Antarctic islands |
| Lifespan | 40–50 years (longest-lived birds) |
| Weight | 8–12 kg (18–26 lb); males larger |
| Top speed | Up to 80 km/h (50 mph) wind-assisted gliding |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## The widest wings on Earth

The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the longest individuals stretching over three metres from tip to tip. Its body measures around 1.3 m (over 4 ft) in length and weighs roughly 8 to 12 kg (18 to 26 lb), with males larger than females. Adults are mostly white with black-tipped wings, growing whiter with age, while young birds start out chocolate brown. Those enormous, narrow wings are built not for flapping but for effortless gliding.

## Masters of gliding flight

Wandering albatrosses are among the most efficient fliers in the animal kingdom, riding ocean winds for hours or even days with barely a wingbeat. Using a technique called dynamic soaring, they harvest energy from the difference in wind speed near the sea surface, sweeping up and down across the waves at up to 80 km/h (50 mph). A special tendon can lock the wing in the outstretched position, so holding it open costs almost no muscular effort. A single foraging trip can cover thousands of kilometres of open ocean.

## Feeding at sea

Wandering albatrosses are carnivores that feed mainly on squid, fish, and carrion taken from the surface of the sea. They forage over vast stretches of the Southern Ocean, seizing prey while sitting on the water or in shallow surface dives. Their keen sense of smell helps them locate food across huge distances, and they will readily follow ships and fishing boats for scraps. This scavenging habit, however, exposes them to one of their greatest dangers.

## Breeding and long life

Wandering albatrosses breed on remote sub-Antarctic islands, where pairs form lasting bonds reinforced by elaborate courtship dances. A pair raises just a single chick, and because the chick takes so long to fledge, successful pairs breed only once every two years. Birds do not begin breeding until they are around a decade old, and they are among the longest-lived of all birds, reaching 40 to 50 years. This slow, unhurried life history is possible only because adults face few natural predators at sea.

## Why it is vulnerable

The IUCN classifies the wandering albatross as Vulnerable, largely because of longline fishing. Birds diving for baited hooks are dragged under and drowned in large numbers, a toll their slow breeding cannot easily replace. Introduced predators such as mice and rats on some breeding islands, along with plastic pollution at sea, add further pressure. Seabird-friendly fishing measures, such as weighting lines and setting them at night, have helped reduce deaths where they are used.

## Frequently asked questions

### How big is a wandering albatross's wingspan?

The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the longest individuals exceeding three metres from wingtip to wingtip. Its body is around 1.3 m long, and it weighs roughly 8 to 12 kg (18 to 26 lb).

### How long do wandering albatrosses live?

Wandering albatrosses are among the longest-lived birds, typically reaching 40 to 50 years of age. They mature slowly and do not usually begin breeding until they are around ten years old.

### How fast can a wandering albatross fly?

Wandering albatrosses can glide at up to about 80 km/h (50 mph) when wind conditions are favourable. They use a technique called dynamic soaring to travel vast distances with barely a wingbeat.

### What do wandering albatrosses eat?

Wandering albatrosses are carnivores that feed mainly on squid, fish, and carrion taken from the sea surface. They forage over huge areas of the Southern Ocean and often follow ships and fishing boats to scavenge scraps.

### Why are wandering albatrosses endangered?

Wandering albatrosses are listed as Vulnerable, chiefly because of longline fishing, in which birds are hooked and drowned. Introduced predators on breeding islands and plastic pollution add further pressure, and their slow breeding makes recovery difficult.

### How often do wandering albatrosses breed?

A successful pair of wandering albatrosses breeds only once every two years, because their single chick takes so long to raise. They nest on remote sub-Antarctic islands and form long-lasting pair bonds.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Diomedea exulans.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Diomedea%20exulans&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Diomedea exulans. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Diomedea_exulans/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/albatross/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.