The Black-footed Albatross is the most commonly encountered albatross off the Pacific Coast of North America, riding the winds of the North Pacific on wings spanning up to seven feet. It nests on remote Hawaiian atolls and regularly appears on pelagic birding trips off California and Oregon. It suffers high mortality from longline fishing and from ingesting plastic debris.
Best time to see a Black-footed Albatross
The best time to see a Black-footed Albatross is April–August, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 829 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Black-footed Albatross? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Black-footed Albatross sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Black-footed Albatross? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.
Get HuckGet an alert when a Black-footed Albatross is spotted
Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.
Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Love birds? Get Huck field notes
Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.