| 
  There are 22 species of  large seabirds in this family. They range in size from 27-55 inches and can have wingspans of up to 13 feet. They have thick, slightly curved bills with  a pair of tubular nostrils and long,  narrow wings. Most species are white, gray, or brown. Albatrosses spend most of their time at sea and only come in to land to breed. They are found in the Pacific Ocean, the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. Albatrosses dive from the surface of the water to catch fish, squid, and krill. They nest in large colonies. Most species return to the place where they were born to nest. Females lay a single egg in a depression in the ground. Males help care for and feed the chick. Male and female pairs may mate for life. Albatrosses can live as long as 50 years! World Status Key US Status Key 
 
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||




 Least Concern
Least Concern   Near Threatened
Near Threatened   Vulnerable
Vulnerable   Endangered
Endangered  Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered   Extinct in Wild
Extinct in Wild   Extinct
Extinct 
 Threatened in NH
 Threatened in NH   Endangered in US
 Endangered in US Endangered in NH
 Endangered in NH   Introduced
 Introduced Africa
 Africa  Antarctica
Antarctica    Asia
 Asia   Australia/Oceania
 Australia/Oceania   Europe
 Europe   North/Central America
 North/Central America   South America
 South America