Dead Albatross in California

Background story:

My mom is an ornithologist who works for a museum. She if a field biologist specializing in small birds such as gnatcatchers, sparrows, and thrashers. Basically, she is trained a lil bit in exotic vet area…she will take care of any bird injured or anything. She is also on call for any injured or dead bird that needs to be picked.

Today, while doing her normal bird surveys, she got a call from the museum relaying information that a Laysons Albatross has died. These birds are extremely rare in California, let alone the coast. Over the decades, the museum has only 3 records of Albatross in general taken from the Southern California coast. This one has a band from Guadalupe, either Mexico or Guadalupe island. The number to call went to an island called the Turks and Caicos right above the Dominican Republic, close to Guadalupe island. However, it is most likely from Guadalupe, Mexico, where there is a breeding colony. It was also banded furthur up the coast of Mexico.

They are stunning birds when in flight. Saw several Albert Ross's in the South Atlantic near to Cape Horn in 2005. It was quite fun watching the birds...especially the Antarctic Terns who kept hitching a ride on the ship when the weather was bad. Found three of the Terns in the main bar area one morning.

Alberts are majestic birds, beautiful.

Wow! That is so sad. What was the cause of death? Was it able to be determined?

I need to read "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" again....

Blurk, dead birds

It probably died from starvation and a gut full of plastic. That seems to be the biggest killer of aquatic birds nowadays. They see bits of plastic in the water and the sun reflects off it. They think it's a fish and eat it. The plastics stay in the stomach and the bird simply wastes away.