Diomedea epomophora
Silhouette: Kimberly Haddrell · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The southern royal albatross or toroa (Diomedea epomophora) is a large seabird in the albatross family. With an average wingspan of more than 3 m (9.8 ft), it is one of the two largest species of albatross, together with the wandering albatross. Recent studies indicate that the southern royal albatross may, on average, be somewhat larger than the wandering albatross in mass and have a similar wingspan, although other sources indicate roughly similar size for the two species and the wandering species may have a larger average (and maximum) wingspan in some colonies.
Albatrosses belong 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; 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 as well as being an energy rich food...
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | 🇬🇸 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | |
| 2 | Falkland Islands | 🇫🇰 Falkland Islands | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands | 🇦🇶 Antarctica | |
| 6 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Royal Albatross sighting in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 37 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Royal Albatross in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on a given day, against under 5% in September and November–June, the lowest months. July and August have too few records to rate.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Royal Albatross sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Royal Albatross sightings, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Falkland Islands (Falkland Islands, under 5%) and Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Royal Albatross is recorded against all the birds logged in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (20 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.
