(Diomedeidae), a family of nomadic seabirds belonging to the same order as the petrels. The body of the albatross is short and massive, sometimes weighing as much as 8 kg, and its wings are narrow and long, with a wingspread of as much as 425 cm. The bill is of medium size and hooked. The plumage is white with black or smoky coloring. There are two genera, which include 14 species. The birds are found in the tropics and subtropics of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. In the USSR, two species—the short-tailed and the black-footed albatrosses—are encountered on migrations in the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, and one species, the migratory dark-backed albatross, is found off the shores of Kamchatka. The short-tailed albatross, which until recently inhabited the Bonin Islands and certain other islands in large numbers, is close to extinction; it is found only onChichi-jima Island (24 birds as of 1960). Albatrosses swim and fly superbly and can soar even in stormy weather. The birds are active both during the day and at night. They return to land only during the breeding season. They nest in colonies, building their nests openly on the ground. There is one egg in a clutch, and both parents sit on it. The chick remains in the nest for six months. The birds feed on invertebrates and fish.
A. M. SUDILOVSKAIA