Waved albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), Española Island, Galápagos.
Image: E bailey, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2018 global assessment of Phoebastria irrorata says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The waved albatross is the only tropical albatross, breeding almost entirely on one Galapagos island. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It performs an elaborate, clattering courtship dance.
Range & habitat
Breeds almost entirely on Espanola Island in the Galapagos and forages off South America.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Longline fishing bycatch
- A single main breeding site
- Disturbance and disease
Why it matters
The only albatross of the tropics, breeding on a single island, the waved albatross is a flagship for Galapagos and eastern Pacific marine conservation.
Gallery
Waved albatross (Phoebastria irrorata); a mated pair.
Image: E bailey, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Waved Albatross
- IUCN Red List — look up Waved Albatross (authoritative status)
- BirdLife International