|
|
The Chatham Albatross is one of the most beautiful albatrosses. The Chatham Albatross is a medium sized albatross and it has a dark grey head that gradually merges into a startlingly white breast. It has a moderately long beak that is a chrome-yellow colour, and it has a black dot at the end of its beak. The top of it's wings colour varies, but they are usually either a dark grey similar to that of the head, or a dark chestnut brown, whereas the underwing is white with black thumbmarks along the edges of the wing. It's feet are a lighter grey than the head, but still reasonably dark.The length of a bird varies, as no bird is the same, but generally the Chatham Albatross's wingspan is about 220cm and it's length (beak to tail) is about 90cm.
(A Chatham Albatross in the water displaying it's brilliant yellow beak.)
The juveniles however are quite different to their parents. When they are very young they are quite fluffy, but they gradually lose that with age. Also the youngsters, unlike their parents, have a blue-grey beak, and a more extensive grey area.
(A juvenile Chatham Albatross, it is still in the stages of losing it's down.)