Phoebastria irrorata
Silhouette: Juan Carlos Jerí · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The waved albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), also known as Galapagos albatross, is one of three species of the family Diomedeidae that occur in the tropics. When they forage, they follow a straight path to a single site off the coast of Peru, about 1,000 km (620 mi) to the east. During the non-breeding season, these birds reside primarily on the Ecuadorian and Peruvian coasts.
Waved albatrosses are a species of albatross belonging to family Diomedeidae of the order Procellariiformes, along with shearwaters, fulmars, storm petrels, and diving petrels. They share certain identifying features. First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called naricorns, although the nostrils of the albatross are on the sides of the bill. The bills of Procellariiformes are also unique in that they are split into between seven and nine horny plates.
Finally, they produce a stomach oil made up of wax esters and triglycerides that is stored in the proventriculus. This is used against predators and as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights. They also have a salt gland that is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Waved Albatross sighting in Galápagos Islands on a given day, based on 1,664 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 48th most-seen of the 114 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June–August and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Waved Albatross in Galápagos Islands on a given day, against under 5% in February and March, the lowest months. Those are among Galápagos Islands's driest months, with almost no rain against 50 mm in March.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Waved Albatross sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Waved Albatross sightings, Galápagos Islands has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Machalilla National Park (Ecuador, under 5%).
Same order: Procellariiformes
The closest relatives of the Waved Albatross that you can see in Galápagos Islands (order Procellariiformes, Tubenoses) are Elliot's Storm Petrel (about 50%), Galápagos Shearwater (about 50%) and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Waved Albatross is recorded against all the birds logged in Galápagos Islands (1,664 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
