ADW: diomedeaskull.jpg

Identification

Diomedea epomophora (royal albatross)

Permissions for Use

Caption

Royal Albatross, Diomedea epomophora. Salt glands are located in the crescent shaped depressions over the eye sockets. These glands, present in birds which live on the ocean, filter excess salt from the blood. The salt is excreted into the nostrils and runs out and down the bill. This allows the birds to drink saltwater.

Contributors

Bird Division (photographer; copyright holder; identification), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan

Paul Hinshaw (photographer)

To cite this page: Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2012. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http://animaldiversity.org.

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

Sponsored in part by the Interagency Education Research Initiative,
the Homeland Foundation and the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants DUE-0633095 and DRL-0628151.
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