Albatrosses
This reading profile brings together 2 source-linked articles that reference albatrosses.
Explore Fauna’s source-checked field guides and research articles covering albatrosses, or search the species catalog below for individual species profiles.Source-linked reading
- Field guideHow seabirds handle saltKidneys alone cannot efficiently excrete all the salt gained from seawater and marine prey while conserving water. Nasal salt glands actively move ions into a secretion saltier than blood; ducts carry it to the nostrils, where droplets run or are shaken from the bill.
- Field guideHow birds flyA flying bird redirects air with a wing whose camber, angle, area, and motion continually change. The resulting aerodynamic force can be oriented upward for weight support or forward for propulsion; muscles, joints, feathers, tail, and sensory feedback tune each wingbeat.