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The
albatrosses (from Portuguese Alcatraz, a pelican) are
seabirds in the family Diomedeidae, which is closely allied
to the petrels. They were once commonly known as Goonie
birds or Gooney birds. This is a group of large to very
large birds with very long narrow wings, which are aerodynamically
highly efficient. The beak is large, strong and sharp-edged,
the upper mandible terminating in a large hook. The feet
have no hind toe, and the three anterior toes are completely
webbed. Albatrosses travel huge distances using a technique
used by many long-winged seabirds called dynamic soaring.
This enables them to minimise the effort needed by gliding
across wave fronts gaining energy from the vertical wind
gradient. Their principal food is cephalopods. All 21
albatross species are endangered species (or more threatened
than that) according to the IUCN Red List. Part of the
blame can be put on longliners, a type of fishing technique. |
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The
albatrosses (from Portuguese Alcatraz, a pelican) are
seabirds in the family Diomedeidae, which is closely allied
to the petrels. They were once commonly known as Goonie
birds or Gooney birds. This is a group of large to very
large birds with very long narrow wings, which are aerodynamically
highly efficient. The beak is large, strong and sharp-edged,
the upper mandible terminating in a large hook. The feet
have no hind toe, and the three anterior toes are completely
webbed. Albatrosses travel huge distances using a technique
used by many long-winged seabirds called dynamic soaring.
This enables them to minimise the effort needed by gliding
across wave fronts gaining energy from the vertical wind
gradient. Their principal food is cephalopods. |
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