The Albatross is a Unique Design
by Owen Borville
July 14, 2020
Biology
The albatross is a large seabird known to have the largest wingspan of any living bird at over 11 feet. Albatrosses are found mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, but some are found in the north Pacific Ocean. Albatrosses have a strong body, long hooked bills, elongated legs, and webbed feet. Design is apparent in the albatross.
Albatross Flight Design
The albatross flies up to 500 miles per day looking for food for itself and its chicks. The flight design of the albatross so impressive that engineers are studying its flight behaviors. Researchers attach sensitive GPS tracking equipment to the albatross to study their flight patterns. The albatross can fly 10,000 kilometers in a single journey and circle the earth in 46 days using little energy. The albatross can even sleep in flight or on the water surface. Albatrosses have been recorded flying over 60 miles per hour. They can go years without touching land. Wandering albatrosses have been known to fly 120,000 kilometers (74,500 miles) across the Antarctic Ocean in a single year.
The albatross can glide for several hundred miles without flapping its wings, an ability that no other flying animal can claim. The albatross uses the wind in a unique way, riding the ocean winds and strong ocean currents using a technique called "dynamic soaring," where the albatross extracts its propulsive energy from non-uniform horizontal winds such as those found over the oceans. Using dynamic soaring, the albatross repeatedly crosses the boundary between air masses of different velocity. The wind just above the ocean surface is slow, but several feet above the surface, the wind speed dramatically increases and the albatross takes advantage of this wind speed. When their wings are fully extended, they lock into place with a tendon so that the albatross does not use any energy extending its wings. Just above the ocean surface, albatrosses soar and dive between contrasting currents of air, as if riding a sidewinding rollercoaster and using little energy.
Other Unique Facts About Albatrosses
Albatrosses can live up to 60 years of age or more. One albatross under study was identified as at least 65 years of age and is believed to have produced over 40 chicks in her lifetime. Albatrosses mate for life and both parents take turns incubating the egg up to 80 days, longer than any other bird. Both parents also feed the newly hatched chick.
The albatross is rarely seen on land and usually only comes on land to breed, as they gather in large colonies on remote islands. Up to one million albatrosses can gather on one island. When albatrosses float or swim on the ocean surface, tiger sharks are a top predator of the albatross and their chicks.
The albatross has a strong sense of smell and can smell prey up to 12 miles away. Albatrosses find their prey from the air or while on the water surface while making shallow dives. They prey on seafood, including squid, octopus, fish, krill, crabs, and shrimps. The albatross drinks seawater and their bodies are specially designed to absorb the salt.
The albatross has a symbiotic relationship with sunfishes, as the albatross will eat parasites off of the sunfish swimming near the surface.
by Owen Borville
July 14, 2020
Biology
The albatross is a large seabird known to have the largest wingspan of any living bird at over 11 feet. Albatrosses are found mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, but some are found in the north Pacific Ocean. Albatrosses have a strong body, long hooked bills, elongated legs, and webbed feet. Design is apparent in the albatross.
Albatross Flight Design
The albatross flies up to 500 miles per day looking for food for itself and its chicks. The flight design of the albatross so impressive that engineers are studying its flight behaviors. Researchers attach sensitive GPS tracking equipment to the albatross to study their flight patterns. The albatross can fly 10,000 kilometers in a single journey and circle the earth in 46 days using little energy. The albatross can even sleep in flight or on the water surface. Albatrosses have been recorded flying over 60 miles per hour. They can go years without touching land. Wandering albatrosses have been known to fly 120,000 kilometers (74,500 miles) across the Antarctic Ocean in a single year.
The albatross can glide for several hundred miles without flapping its wings, an ability that no other flying animal can claim. The albatross uses the wind in a unique way, riding the ocean winds and strong ocean currents using a technique called "dynamic soaring," where the albatross extracts its propulsive energy from non-uniform horizontal winds such as those found over the oceans. Using dynamic soaring, the albatross repeatedly crosses the boundary between air masses of different velocity. The wind just above the ocean surface is slow, but several feet above the surface, the wind speed dramatically increases and the albatross takes advantage of this wind speed. When their wings are fully extended, they lock into place with a tendon so that the albatross does not use any energy extending its wings. Just above the ocean surface, albatrosses soar and dive between contrasting currents of air, as if riding a sidewinding rollercoaster and using little energy.
Other Unique Facts About Albatrosses
Albatrosses can live up to 60 years of age or more. One albatross under study was identified as at least 65 years of age and is believed to have produced over 40 chicks in her lifetime. Albatrosses mate for life and both parents take turns incubating the egg up to 80 days, longer than any other bird. Both parents also feed the newly hatched chick.
The albatross is rarely seen on land and usually only comes on land to breed, as they gather in large colonies on remote islands. Up to one million albatrosses can gather on one island. When albatrosses float or swim on the ocean surface, tiger sharks are a top predator of the albatross and their chicks.
The albatross has a strong sense of smell and can smell prey up to 12 miles away. Albatrosses find their prey from the air or while on the water surface while making shallow dives. They prey on seafood, including squid, octopus, fish, krill, crabs, and shrimps. The albatross drinks seawater and their bodies are specially designed to absorb the salt.
The albatross has a symbiotic relationship with sunfishes, as the albatross will eat parasites off of the sunfish swimming near the surface.
