Head to head
Waved Albatross vs Laysan Albatross
Both albatrosses hold unusual distinctions, but they occupy entirely different parts of the Pacific and face very different conservation outlooks.
| Waved Albatross | Laysan Albatross | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Phoebastria irrorata | Phoebastria immutabilis |
| Range | The only tropical albatross, breeding in the Galapagos | Remote North Pacific atolls |
| Distinguishing feature | Launches by running off a cliff edge | Home to Wisdom, the world's oldest known wild bird |
| Courtship display | An elaborate bill-circling dance | Not documented as distinctively elaborate |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered | Near Threatened |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Increasing |
| Takeoff method | A running cliff-edge launch | A standard albatross launch |
| Habitat | Ocean, coastal | Ocean, coastal |
Waved Albatross vs Laysan Albatross: common questions
Which one is the only albatross found in the tropics?
The waved albatross holds this distinction, breeding almost entirely on Espanola Island in the Galapagos, unlike the Laysan albatross, which breeds across cooler North Pacific atolls.
Which one launches into flight by running off a cliff?
The waved albatross does this, relying on a running cliff-edge launch since the weak, inconsistent winds near the equator make a standard open-ground takeoff impractical, unlike the Laysan albatross.
Which one is more at risk of extinction?
The waved albatross is at far greater risk, classified as Critically Endangered with a population concentrated almost entirely on one island, compared with the Laysan albatross's Near Threatened, increasing population.