LAYSAN ALBATROSS
"...a good south wind sprung up behind;
The Albatross did follow
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariners' hollo!"
-from the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
As
described in this famous poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, sailors have
long considered the albatross to be a good omen. Early ocean explorers
believed that sighting a bird meant land was nearby. There undoubtedly
were many disappointed, land-hungry sailors though, because the albatross
is a pelagic, or open-ocean, species that may not set foot on land for
many years at a time. Albatross have been described as "nomads
of the oceans".
There are two kinds of albatross in Hawaii: the ka`upu, or blackfooted albatross (Phoebastria nigripes-rare), and the moli, or Laysan albatross (P. immutabilis-endangered). These amazing birds can live up to fifty years, and have been recorded to fly as far as 2,000 miles in one day in search of food. One of the favorite foods of the albatross is the eggs of the malolo (flying fish) and squid.
No matter where you go in Hawaii, you stand a very good chance of seeing something that will leave you amazed, such as the sight of an albatross or frigate bird flying by, keep an eye to the sky! Holu Moli - video of albatross on Midway
Laysan albatross are very large birds. Their wingspan can reach to 13
feet (three meters) and they may weigh as much as 25 pounds (11 kilograms).
Its range extends to most of the north Pacific Ocean.
Albatross
live from forty to sixty years. They can stay out at sea for as long
as five years before returning to the same island on which they were
born. They have elaborate courtship dances, and once mated they tend
to remain faithful to their mate. In adulthood they rendezvous each
year with their partner at the same nest site. Nesting time is the only
time they spend on land, and each year the pair stays just long enough
to hatch and raise a single chick.
On
land, albatross are very awkward and often have difficulty taking off
and landing. This has gained them the nickname of "Goony Bird".
Although albatross are so awkward on land, they are graceful and impressive
in flight. An albatross in flight can be so perfectly attuned to wind
conditions that it may not flap its wings for hours, or even for days,
as it can sleep 
while
flying. It takes advantage of the air currents just above the ocean's
waves to soar in perpetual graceful motion.
Albatross are so beautiful
in the air that superstitious sailors believed they were the reincarnated
spirits of dead sailors who were searching the oceans for their lost
friends. Albatross can be seen nesting at Ka'ena Point, or
on our ocean wildlife tours during
the winter months.
The
Albatross Project
Spinner
dolphins l Humpback Whales l
Sea Turtles l Monk
Seals l Albatross l Coral Spawning l Manta
and Spotted Eagle Rays l Sharks
of Hawaii | Dolphin Documentary l
l
Dolphin Pictures
and Videos
Wild
Side Specialty Tours, LLC
on the island of Oahu:
Waianae HI 96792
TEL (808) 306-7273
FAX (808) 668-4075
email: reservations@sailhawaii.com
