Melanie Platz, age 12, of Ottawa, Ont., Canada, for her question:
COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT THE ALBATROSS?
Most of the bird experts rate the albatross as the champion flier of the bird world. His slender white wings, measuring almost 12 feet from tip to tip, are among the widest of all the birds and they serve him masterfully as he spends months on end soaring above the ocean waves, alighting only now and then to feed and rest.
There are 13 species of albatross, and they are all masterful fliers. Four of the clan have their nesting headquarters along the rocky shores of the northern Pacific Ocean. The other nine cousins belong to the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere and make their nests on barren lands as far south as the Antarctic.
The albatross is mainly white, with touches of brown or black in the wings and tail. All of them have very long, strong beaks, slightly curved downward at the tips. The largest member of the clan is the goose sized wandering albatross. An adult male may tip the scales at 27 pounds. His wing spread is the envy of the bird world, averaging almost 11 feet.
On land the albatross is not quite as graceful as he is in the air. His legs are rather spindly and his long wings are just too big to allow him to take off with a few simple flaps. Instead, a long running start is needed to give him the proper lift. These less than graceful takeoffs and somewhat awkward landing have earned him the nickname "goony bird."
Though they may be awkward on the ground, once they ascend into the air, they are one of the most awe inspiring sights. Past masters of the art of soaring, they glide gracefully, riding invisible air currents. Generally living far from land, they drink ocean water and sleep on the gently undulating waves. Their food consists of small marine animals such as fish and squid.
When nesting time comes, the adults return to land and, after an elaborate courtship dance, mate and prepare a nest. The nest is a simple cup shaped structure made of muddy materials and lined with feathers. The female lays one egg, and both parents share incubation and guard duty until the chick hatches. After some 65 to 81 days the egg cracks open and a bundle of fluffy white feathers peeks out. Most species patiently tend the chick, feeding it on fish they have partially digested. Each species, of course, handles its domestic chores a bit differently.
Sailors of old had many fanciful tales about the albatross. They imagined that his wide wings caused the wind that filled the sails of their sailing ships, and they considered him a good luck bird. Even today the sighting of an albatross is considered good luck by seafaring men.