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Writing in the June 2010 issue of the journal British Birds Steve Howell of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide discusses moult and ageing in Black-browed Albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris.

"The Black-browed Albatross is the most frequently recorded albatross in the Western Palearctic.  The ability to determine the age of birds in the field can be helpful when attempting to track individuals over time and between sites, thus enabling greater precision when evaluating records and establishing patterns of occurrence.  This short paper discusses the moult timing and ageing of Black-browed Albatrosses in their first few years of life, and highlights some apparent errors in the literature."

Reference:

Howell, S.N.G. 2010.  Moult and ageing in Black-browed Albatrosses.  British Birds 103: 353-356.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 23 December 2010