A practical guide to bird watching in Sonoma County, California
(Unless otherwise indicated, all phone numbers are in the 707 area code)
The most frequently seen albatross in Sonoma County, although rarely seen from shore. Usually encountered well off the coast on pelagic birding tours that venture many miles out into open ocean. Present year-round but in varying numbers. Most common during the summer months. Comes to the fish oil slicks that pelagic bird tour operators use to attract species of interest. Known to follow fishing boats, looking for discarded fish and fish parts. Like other albatrosses, spends its time entirely at sea, except when breeding. Nests in the Hawaiian Islands.
Further reading:
Bolander and Parmeter, Birds of Sonoma County California, rev. ed., 2000, p. 17
Brinkley, National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2007, p. 99
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 5th ed., 2006, p. 78
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 6th ed., 2011, p. 76
Ehrlich, Dobkin, and Wheye, The Birder's Handbook, paperback edition, 1988, pp. 657, 658, 666
Fix and Bezener, Birds of Northern California, 2000, p. 47
Floyd, Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2008, p. 81
Kaufman, Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2000, p. 98
Lukas, Bay Area Birds: From Sonoma County to Monterey Bay, 2012, p. 285
Parmeter and Wight, Birds of Sonoma County California, Update (2000-2010), 2012, p. 14
Peterson, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, 4th ed., 2010, p. 68
Peterson, Western Birds, 3rd ed., 1990, p. 74
Sibley, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America,1st ed., 2003, p. 34
Stokes, Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 1st ed., 2010, p. 86
Vuilleumier, American Museum of Natural History, Birds of North America: Western Region, 2011, p. 423
Voice: Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds--Black-footed Albatross
© Colin Talcroft, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Unless noted, all photos by the author. If you would like to use one of my images, please ask for permission for non-commercial use with proper credit or commercial use with proper compensation.
Black-footed Albatross, September 21, 2012, Offshore Sonoma County
Black-footed Albatross
Phoebestra nigripes
1990-2013 Sonoma County data. Graph provided by eBird (www.ebird.org), generated May 30, 2013
EBird reported occurrence in Sonoma County
Black-footed Albatross, September 20, 2013, Offshore Sonoma County