Introduction

The Laysan Albatross is a large sea-bird but a relatively small albatross, distinguished from most other species of albatross by its Northern Hemisphere distribution and its sub-tropical breeding range. It breeds mainly on atolls in the Hawaiian Archipelago during the northern winter, and outside the breeding season disperses into the North Pacific Ocean from July to November. Despite losing hundreds of thousands of breeders earlier this century to feather hunters and military development, this species has recently colonized new breeding grounds in the main Hawaiian Islands, the Bonin Islands, and off the Mexican coast. Estimates of the total population of this albatross now stand at about 2.5 million, making it the most abundant species of albatross in the Northern Hemisphere and the second most numerous Hawaiian seabird.

The Laysan’s mating dance is legendary and its method of flying (“dynamic soaring”) is spectacular; in the absence of wind, however, it has difficulty in becoming airborne or landing. Although it does not breed until it is 8-9 years old, it is long-lived (individuals at least 40 years old have been identified) and capable of breeding every year.

Laysan Albatross feed mainly on squid, but fish, fish-eggs, and crustaceans are also taken. These seabirds feed mainly at night when squid are plentiful in surface waters and they are known to possess high levels of rhodopsin, a visual pigment that enhances nocturnal vision. At sea, Laysans are sometimes caught on fish hooks and in salmon and squid gillnet fisheries. Estimated loss to driftnets in 1990 was over 17,500 birds, nearly 1% of the total population.