Hawaiian Birds and Laysan Albatross
The Laysan Albatross is a large seabird that is named after one of its breeding colonies in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This albatross is the second most common seabird in the Hawaiian Islands, with an estimated population of 2.5 million birds. There are two kinds of albatross in Hawaii: the blackfooted albatross (ka`upu), and the Laysan albatross (moli). These amazing birds can live up to fifty years, and have been recorded to fly as far as 2,000 miles in one day in search of food.
On land, albatross are very awkward and often have difficulty taking off and landing, yet they are graceful and impressive in flight. An albatross in flight can be so perfectly attuned to wind conditions that it may not flap its wings for hours, or even for days, as it can sleep while flying. It takes advantage of the air currents just above the ocean’s waves to soar in perpetual graceful motion. These birds spend nearly half the year at sea, not touching land until breeding season.
The Laysan Albatross averages 32 inches in length and has a wingspan of more than six feet. The head, neck, and rump are white, while the tail, upper wing surfaces, wingtips, and back are dark. It has a black smudge around the eye, and its underwing patter varies between individuals. The hooked bill is salmon-colored with a gray tip, and their tube nostrils aid in salt removal. The legs and feet are flesh-colored, and the toes fully webbed. They are normally a silent bird, but on occasion they may be observed emitting long moo-ing sounds, descending whinnies, or rattles.
Laysans are surface feeders, and therefore feed on anything that floats on the surface of the water – including squid, fish, crustaceans, flying fish eggs, and unfortunately, marine debris as well. Laysans often sit on the water where they seize prey near the surface with their powerful beaks. Utilizing their high levels of rhodopsin (the visual pigment that enhances nocturnal vision) these birds feed mainly at night, when squid tend to surface.
