Phoebetria palpebrata
light-mantled albatross

Light-mantled albatrosses, Phoebetria palpebrata, are widespread near the edge of the Antarctic pack ice and circumpolar throughout the high southern latitudes, between around 40° and 60° latitude. In November, the northernmost latitude at which light-mantled albatrosses are found is 42° south, in February it is 46° south. Young birds tend to stay towards polar, Antarctic waters, while adults are distributed throughout the range. (Brooke, 2004; Tickell, 2000)

Light-mantled albatrosses spend most of their lives in flight. A juvenile may spend many years at sea before returning to breed. They return to a few isolated breeding islands: Prince Edward Islands, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Heard Island, MacDonald Islands, Macquarie Island, Auckland Islands, Campbell Islands, Antipodes Islands, and South Georgia. Nesting sites are located on the faces of steep, rocky cliffs on island coasts and some inland cliffs on these islands. Nest sites on cliffs can be between 15 to 2000 m from sea level. Light-mantled albatrosses are the deepest diving of the albatrosses, often diving to 5 m and once being recorded as deep as 12 m. (Prince, et al., 1994; Tickell, 2000)

Light-mantled albatrosses have long, thin wings that span about 2 meters. Their wedge-shaped tails have stiff central rectrices. They have stubby heads with smaller bills than other albatrosses. Males are slightly larger than females. The nape, mantle, back, scapulars, and rump are a pale ashy grey. Towards the head, tail, and along the wings, the plumage is dark grey brown merging to dark brown. The primaries have contrasting whitish shafts and the conceiled contour feathers are paler with underparts a dark grayish brown. Post-orbital crescents are formed by very short white feathers behind the eyes. The bill is black and the lower mandible is split on the outside by a longitudinal groove known as the sulcus. The sulcus contains a strip of colored skin that is continuous with the lower gape stripe and is pale blue or violet in color. (Brooke, 2004; Nunn and Stanley, 1998; Phillips, et al., 2003; Tickell, 2000)

Light-mantled albatrosses form committed pair bonds. One pair on Macquarie Island is known to have been together for 21 years. When light-mantled albatrosses are establishing a pair bond, males and females can be seen flying side by side silently in close formation. Landing and taking off are also important in courtship because mating must be done on the cliffs. A large proportion of females do the landing while the males stay put at nest sites. Displays can consist of sky calls and side-preens, among other movements and vocalizations. Displays conclude by the female taking off and the male following. (Tickell, 2000)

Light-mantled albatrosses take about seven months to complete a breeding cycle. Once the fledgling flies, parents have only three to four months before the next summer. This is not enough time to prepare to breed again, so they stay at sea for an entire summer and winter, this gives them at least 14 to 15 months between breeding seasons. On average, birds do not start breeding until 12 years of age, after that they fledge a chick every five years. Light-mantled albatrosses are also capable of breeding until at least age 32. (Thomas, et al., 1983; Tickell, 2000; Thomas, et al., 1983; Tickell, 2000; Thomas, et al., 1983; Tickell, 2000; Thomas, et al., 1983; Tickell, 2000)

Light-mantled albatrosses invest heavily in their offspring. Males and females incubate the egg for 70 days, sharing incubation in seven to nine shifts that last from 1 to 29 days in length, but average 2 to 3 days. This is the longest average incubation for any albatross species. During incubation adults may travel several thousand kilometers in order to obtain food for their hatchling. Young take 3 to 5 days to break out of their shells. Once they have hatched, parents brood them for 19 to 21 days. Mean fledging time is 150 days. Parents feed young every couple of days until they fledge. A hatchling grows to larger than the size of an adult and then loses weight before its first flight. (Tickell, 2000; Weimerskirch and Robertson, 1994)

The rate of adult survival is about 97.3%. The breeding habitat of this species makes them difficult to study but, in a small sample, some individuals on South Georgia were thought to be over 40 years old. (Brooke, 2004; Croxall, 2008)

While in flight, light-mantled albatrosses spend about 77% of the time gliding, 23% of the time flap gliding, and 0% of the time flapping. Their small flight muscles rely on wind and ocean updrafts to support their long soaring times. (Tickell, 2000)

While at sea, light-mantled albatrosses have a range of thousands of miles. In their nesting habitat, however, their home territory is a small rocky outcropping on a cliffside.

These albatrosses use visual displays and vocalizations to communicate with conspecifics. (Tickell, 2000)

Their long, pointed tongues with fleshy, backward-pointing gular spines allow this species to have different feeding habits than other albatrosses. They eat squid, fish, crustaceans, krill, penguin skin and feathers, and petrels (Procellariidae). Light-mantled albatrosses can deliver meals up to 1.5 kg to their young, up to one half of this mass is liquid. (Cooper and Klanges, 1995; Tickell, 2000)

Giant petrels (Macronectes) are thought to be predators that are capable of preying on young albatrosses. Feral cats are also potential predators on breeding islands. However, the size and isolated nesting habitat of light-mantled albatrosses make them unlikely candidates for predation. (Tickell, 2000)

Five species of chewing lice have been identified from light-mantled albatrosses. They are also hosts of a new species of flea (Parapsyllus magellanicus). (Tickell, 2000)

These seafaring birds rarely encounter humans except when they accidentally land on ships or are hooked by long lines used in fishing. (Tickell, 2000)

Light-mantled albatrosses are not known to have any negative effects on humans.

Light-mantled albatrosses, along with other albatross species (Diomedeidae), are long-lived and slow to reproduce. They are increasingly being threatened by long-line fishing and by ingestion of plastic trash in the ocean. They are currently considered near threatened by the IUCN and populations are declining.