Salvin's Albatross

Salvin’s toroa is a medium-sized albatross with a pale-grey hood and black-and-white wings. Most breed on the Bounty Islands, with smaller colonies on the Snares and Crozet Islands. Adults have a pale-grey head, throat and nape, dark upperwings and a grey-green bill with a black spot at the lower tip. White-capped albatross has a whiter head and bluer bill, while Chatham Island albatross has a darker hood and bright-yellow bill.

Breeding is concentrated on the Bounty Islands east of the South Island, with birds dispersing widely across the South Pacific and toward South America. They occur off New Zealand’s east and south coasts. They forage for fish and squid and may attend fishing vessels. Pairs lay one egg on a pedestal nest and share incubation and chick care.

Salvin’s albatross is Threatened — Nationally Critical (NZ Threat Classification). Fisheries bycatch and dependence on a few small breeding islands drive the high national ranking. Pelagic trips off Kaikōura, Otago and Rakiura/Stewart Island offer the best mainland-based chances. The main Bounty Islands colonies are remote and protected.