Northern Royal Albatrosses return to breed at Taiaroa Head, New Zealand

Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula of New Zealand’s South Island is one of the very few places in the World where breeding albatrosses can be viewed by the general public without a sea voyage to an oceanic island.  The locality supports a small population of Endangered Northern Royal Albatrosses Diomedea sanfordi.  News is in that a total of 108 birds has returned for the new breeding season with 32 nests established so far (click here).

A pair of Northern Royal Albatrosses display, photograph courtesy of the Royal Albatross Centre 

Northern Royal Albatross and chick at Taiaroa Head, photograph by Lyndon Perriman

In recent years about 30-35 pairs have attempted to breed annually at the locality.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 25 November 2015