Story: Albatrosses

Campbell albatross colony

Campbell albatross colony

Campbell albatrosses or mollymawks breed on Campbell Island. Their pale yellow eyes distinguish them from the black-browed albatross, whose eyes are black. Much smaller than the great albatrosses, Campbell albatross males weigh 3.1 kilograms and females 2.7 kilograms. Their nests are tall pedestals made of compacted earth, and are reused year after year, although not necessarily by the same pair. The lush green plants around the nests benefit from the nutrients the birds bring into the colony. The numbers written on the nests are for research purposes.

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Department of Conservation
Reference: 10032269

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How to cite this page:

Paul Sagar, 'Albatrosses - New Zealand’s smaller albatrosses', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/7498/campbell-albatross-colony (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Paul Sagar, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 17 Feb 2015