Endangered Short-Tailed Albatross Hatches at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge

First short-tail albatross chick in 2011 with male parent. Credit: Dan Clark/USFWS.

On January 9, 2014, a short-tailed albatross chick hatched at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. With a stunning golden head and an impressive regal stature, the short-tailed albatross is one of the most endangered seabird species in the world.

A remote camera is stationed near the mating pair’s nest on Eastern Island. Both parents take turns caring for their offspring, exchanging places approximately every two weeks to travel thousands of miles to the nutrient-rich ocean waters to the North to gather food to bring back for the chick.

Unfortunately, an ever increasing amount of floating plastic debris is intermixed with albatross food sources in the ocean. When the debris is inadvertently swallowed by the adults and later fed to chicks, it can seriously compromise their well-being.

This is only the third record of a short-tailed albatross hatching any place other than two small islands near Japan. The 27 year-old male and 11 year-old female first met six years ago near their current nest site. Their first chick, hatched in 2011, amazed the scientific community by successfully fledging despite large storm waves in January of that year and the March 2011 Japanese tsunami that washed the young bird from its nest site twice before it was able to fly.

Second short-tailed albatross chick hatched in 2012. Credit: Pete Leary/USFWS.

Once the most abundant albatross species in the North Pacific, short-tailed albatross were hunted for feathers and by 1949 were thought to be extinct. A few birds were seen nesting on the Japanese Island of Torishima in the early 1950s and protection soon followed. Primarily due to international treaties and the work of Japanese researchers, the short-tailed albatross population is on the road to recovery, with more than 2,200 now in existence.

Male short-tailed albatross waiting for his mate to return November 2013. Credit: Dale Chorman/SeeMore Wildlife Systems

Midway Atoll's first short-tailed albatross juvenile in the process of being banded in 2011. Credit: John Klavitter/USFWS.

Male and female short-tailed albatross pair are reunited November 2013. Credit: Dale Chorman/SeeMore Wildlife Systems.

First short-tailed albatross chick being fed in 2011. Credit: Joe Van Os/USFWS.

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View video of a brand new endangered short-tailed albatross chick from Midway Atoll NWR.

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