Wandering Albatross courtship display
Albatross Island, South Georgia Island
see in Google Maps download to Google EarthSeeing the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) courtship display is a fantastic and rare experience.
A male Wandering Albatross tries to impress two youngsters with its breast fully expanded and its 3.5 meter (11 ft.) wingspan. The two immature Ocean Wanderers are still too young to bond, but they look very interested.
The number of breeding birds on Albatross Island, where this photo is shot, dropped 50 % in only 5 years - main due to death caused by long line fishing.
The South Georgia Island administration closed the island for visitors in 2007 in order to reduce the risk of introducing rats or other exotic animals harmful to the remaining albatrosses.
I hope that these magnificent flying giants of the southern hemisphere will not share the faith as the giants of the southern oceans - the whales.
If you care then visit Birdlife - Save the Albatross and help their campaign. Any help is much appreciated and much needed. Sir David Attenborough is supporting this campaign.