Salvin's Albatross
Thalassarche salvini
Identification
Salvin's Albatrosses were once split from the group of 'Shy' Albatrosses but are quite distinct and relatively straight-forward to identify, as adults at least. Adult birds have a distinct light grey hood that wraps all around the head, including the throat and chin.
Unlike Shy Albatrosses, the bill is a slightly beige horn-colour and usually has a distinct black spot near the tip. With practice, one of the most significant features is the underwing. Near the wing-tip, the black primaries are very distinctly demarcated from the white. In Shy Albatross, the white extends down the primaries so the demarcation is very diffuse. This feature can usually be seen quite well as birds bank over waves.
Juveniles are a little more difficult to identify. Though the underwing markings are still significant, juvenile Shy Albatrosses can still be quite dark and have darkness near the bill tip. Nevertheless, the extent of dark around the head is usually very conspicuous in juvenile Salvin's, extending all the way around the neck.
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