Chordates • Earth.com

Shy albatross

(Thalassarche cauta)

galery

Description

The shy albatross or shy mollymawk (Thalassarche cauta) is a medium-sized albatross that breeds on three Australian islands and ranges across the southern Indian Ocean.The shy albatross averages 90 to 99 cm (35–39 in) in length,220 to 256 cm (87–101 in) wingspan,and 4.1 kg (9.0 lb) in weight.Alongside its similarly sized sister species,the Salvin's albatross,this species is considered the largest of the mollymawks or the small albatrosses.It is a black,white and slate-grey bird with the characteristic black thumb mark at the base of the leading edge of the underwing.Adults have a white forehead and a crown,which is bordered on the bottom with a dark eyebrow and pale grey face.Its mantle,tail and upperwing are grey-black,and the rest is white.Its bill is grey-yellow with a prominent yellow culmen and yellow tip.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Aves
Order:Procellariiformes
Family:Diomedeidae
Genus:Thalassarche
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