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The black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris), also known as the black-browed mollymawk, [3] is a large seabird of the albatross family Diomedeidae; it is the most widespread and common member of its family.
For the most part, an interim taxonomy of 21 species is accepted by ITIS and many other researchers, though by no means all—in 2004 Penhallurick and Wink called for the number of species to be reduced to 13 (including the lumping of the Amsterdam albatross with the wandering albatross), [13] although this paper was itself controversial. [11] [14]
The grey-headed albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma) also known as the gray-headed mollymawk, is a large seabird from the albatross family. It has a circumpolar distribution, nesting on isolated islands in the Southern Ocean and feeding at high latitudes, further south than any of the other mollymawks. Its name derives from its ashy-gray head ...
Seabird tourism can provide income for coastal communities as well as raise the profile of seabird conservation, although it needs to be managed to ensure it does not harm the colonies and nesting birds. [101] For example, the northern royal albatross colony at Taiaroa Head in New Zealand attracts 40,000 visitors a year. [29]
Procellariiforms range in size from the very large wandering albatross, at 11 kg (24 lb) and a 3.6-metre (12-foot) wingspan, to tiny birds like the least storm petrel, at 20 g (0.71 oz) with a 32-centimetre (13-inch) wingspan, [27] and the smallest of the prions, the fairy prion, with a wingspan of 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11.0 in). [22]
Polar bears preyed on nesting colonies of the great auk. [ 21 ] : 35 Based on observations by the Naturalist Otto Fabricius (the only scientist to make primary observations on the great auk), some auks were "stupid and tame" whilst others were difficult to approach which he suggested was related to the bird's age. [ 40 ]
Large white-headed gull is used to describe the 18 or so herring gull-like species, from California gull to lesser black-backed gull in the taxonomic list below. White-winged gull is used to describe the four pale-winged, high Arctic-breeding taxa within the former group; these are Iceland gull , glaucous gull , Thayer's gull , and Kumlien's gull .
The genus name is from Latin Larus, which refers to a gull or other large seabird. The species name smithsonianus commemorates English chemist James Smithson whose £100,000 bequest enabled the foundation of the institution that bears his name. [2] The taxonomy of the herring gull group is very complicated and much is still controversial and ...