Wandering Albatross: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Seabirds · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. A wandering albatross can glide for hours without a wingbeat, covering 22 m forward for every metre it drops.
2. Its wingspan reaches up to 3.7 m, the longest of any living bird.
3. One banded albatross covered 6,000 km in just twelve days.
4. Albatrosses mate for life but breed only every other year. Incubation lasts 11 weeks.
5. Māori used albatross wing bones to carve flutes, needles and fish-hook barbs. Sailors made pipe stems from them.

The quiz

1. How far does a wandering albatross glide forward for every metre it drops?

• 5 m
• 22 m (correct)
• 10 m
• 50 m

It covers 22 m of forward travel for every metre it drops.

2. How long can its wingspan reach?

• Up to 1.2 m
• Up to 2 m
• Up to 5.5 m
• Up to 3.7 m (correct)

Its wingspan reaches up to 3.7 m.

3. How far did one banded albatross travel in twelve days?

• 6,000 km (correct)
• 600 km
• 2,000 km
• 60,000 km

One banded bird covered 6,000 km in twelve days.

4. How often do wandering albatrosses breed?

• Every year
• Twice a year
• Every other year (correct)
• Every five years

They mate for life but breed only every other year.

5. Who used albatross wing bones to carve flutes and fish-hook barbs?

• Viking sailors
• The Māori (correct)
• Arctic hunters
• Egyptian farmers

Māori in New Zealand carved flutes, needles and fish-hook barbs from the bones.

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