A Grey-headed Albatross gets to Sri Lanka! A first equator crossing for the species?

The juvenile Grey-headed Albatross that reached Olaithoduvai, Sri Lanka, photographed by Lahiru Walpita, from the journal cover

Lahiru Walpita and Moditha Kodikara Arachchi have published in the correspondence section of the journal Indian Birds on the sighting of a juvenile Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma off the coast of Sri Lanka on 22 July 2024.  The bird approached as close as 50 m from the shore at the Olaithoduvai fishing village from where it was photographed.

As the article suggests, this seems to be the first definite record of this Southern Ocean albatross north of the equator (click here).

Reference:

Walpita, L. & Arachchi, M.K. 2024.  The Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma from Sri Lanka.  Indian Birds 20: 140-141.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 12 December 2024