[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ew birds fly around more than the albatross. It spreads its 12-foot long wings and soars across oceans, fair weather or foul, literally spending years at sea, forsaking land for long periods at a time.
The world’s premier ocean aerialist, this bird has longer and thinner wings than any other avian species. Astoundingly, it will fly more than 100,000 miles annually over gale-swept oceans, never making landfall. Its primary range is the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific.
Immortalized in Samuel Coleridge’s poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” the albatross is considered a sign of bad luck if it follows a ship for long periods of time.
Like all seabirds, it can exist on salt water for drinking since it has special glands in the skull above the eye, which concentrate and excrete salt.
Fish are the main food for the albatross and sometimes it will be killed by taking the bait on long-line fishing hooks used by commercial fishermen. Krill, squid and offal are also part of its diet.
Adept at using warm air currents for lift, the albatross can glide for hours with an occasional minor adjustment of its huge wings. If you admire splendid soaring and graceful gliding, this is the bird for you.
