When do wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans forage?

Abstract

Wandering albatrosses were fitted with stomach temperature sensors to detect when they fed. Three birds went to sea for a total of 24 d during which time they ingested 159 prey items which were calculated to have a total mass of 45.65 kg. These results were lumped with results from another study to show that 89% of all prey (by mass) were caught during the day when wandering albatrosses fly the greatest distances. Birds generally rest during periods of darkness but actively search for widely-spaced prey during the day during which time they use dynamic soaring to enable them to cover the requisite large distances with minimal energy expenditure. -Authors