Far outside its normal range: a dead Waved Albatross from central Chile, photograph by Jorge Viscarra

What seems to be the most southerly record for a Waved Albatross Phoebastria irrorata (Critically Endangered) is of a bird found dead on the coast of Chile at 36.7°S on the Isla de lo Reyes Rocuant Beach, Bahía de Concepción in the Biobío Region of Chile by Jorge Viscarra on 08 August 2026, as reported on eBird.

Waved Albatrosses breed on the equator in The Galapagos (with a few pairs on La Plata Island).  Their normal at-sea range is to the coastal waters of Ecuador and Peru, the “extreme north of Chile” and occasionally northwards to off Colombia and Panama.  A record from close to the city of Concepción in central Chile is thus well outside the species’ normal range, noting that the maritime boundary between Peru and Chile is at 18.3°S, some 2000 km north of the Concepción bird, that was found 4500 km from its most likely breeding locality of Española Island in The Galapagos.

Information from the Facebook page Pelagics. Seabirds birding worldwide posted by Alvaro Jaramillo.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 10 August 2026

Colour-banded Northern Royal Albatross off Chile

A colour-banded Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi (Endangered) was photographed in Chilean waters on 05 July 2026 by Claudio Véliz.  The bird was marked with plastic band black 535 and metal band R-67933 on 30 January 2022 as an adult of unknown sex by Mike Bell of Toroa Consulting in a study plot on Motuhara (The Forty Fours), Chatham Islands, New Zealand.

Close up of the plastic band; the metal band is just visible on the left leg, photographs by Claudio Véliz

With thanks to Dave Boyle and Claudio Véliz for information via Pelagics. Seabirds birding worldwide.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 08 August 2026

Black-browed Albatrosses breeding on Steeple Jason.  The bird centre front has died from Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza,  photograph by Alastair Baylis

Long-term seabird monitoring programme has been undertaken on several important seabird species breeding in the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas* since 1989.  The latest report from the environmental NGO, Falklands Conservation, by Amanda Kuepfer and Andrew Stanworth, is for the 2025/2026 season and was released last month. It updates long-term trends and discusses associated threats and conservation actions for nine species, including for the island group’s three ACAP-listed breeding species: Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris, Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus and White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis.

Reference:

Kuepfer A. & Stanworth A. 2026.  Islands Seabird Monitoring Programme – Annual Report 2025/2026.  Stanley: Falklands Conservation.  61 pp and 2m 32s video.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 06 August 2026

A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur e Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.

A musical performance about the Short-tailed Albatross was presented by the theatrical company Cinderella

Once again Japan stepped up to the mark by celebrating World Albatross Day and its theme for 2026 of “Habitat Restoration” on 19 June in Tokyo over a two-and-a-half-week period.  Following a now familiar pattern, World Albatross Day & Seabird Week (WAD&SW) for 2026 consisted of an exhibition, public lectures, a musical performance (new for 2026) and an excursion.  This year's event centred on celebrating the recovery of the Vulnerable Short-tailed Albatross Diomedea albatrus from near extinction to reach a total population of more than 10 000 birds.

Visitors view Japan’s World Albatross Day exhibition in Tokyo

Special exhibition

Held in the Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park for two and a half weeks, the exhibition featured photographs, arts, educational posters and displays highlighting the history, recovery, and conservation of the Short-tailed Albatross and other seabirds.  The exhibition attracted nearly 700 visitors.

Dr Hiroshi Hasegawa (seated back right) gives his plenary address on the recovery of the Short-tailed Albatross

Public lectures

Held as a hybrid event, with over 80 people attended in person and nearly 120 registered online, the lectures commenced with a plenary presentation by Dr Hiroshi Hasegawa, entitled “75 years since the ‘rediscovery’ of the Short-tailed Albatross the Torishima population has recovered to 10 000 birds”.  The plenary was followed by four talks covering recent conditions and the future conservation of Short-tailed Albatrosses on Torishima, the physiological and ecological effects of global warming on seabirds, the accumulation of harmful chemicals from plastics in seabirds, and environmental education inspired by the history of the Short-tailed Albatross on Torishima.

Musical performance

A musical on the Short-tailed Albatross was performed in front of an audience of 40 by Gekidan Cinderella, a theatrical company that works on the theme of dream, hope, adventure, and living with nature.  It has 30 members, including both children and adults.

The Cinderella Theatrical Company writes on its website: “Taking up various natural environments such as the sea, forests and sandy beaches, we create "SDGs musicals" that address the problems faced by nature and creatures, and deliver them to the general public ... in an easy-to-understand manner.”  Its performances are held not only in theatres and halls, but also in visitor centres, commercial facilities, zoos, and at eco-events.

Participants on the Little Tern excursion

Little Tern excursion

An excursion to view a Little Tern Sterna albifrons colony was held at the Morigasaki Water Reclamation Center rooftop nesting site.  The 35 participants observed five Little Terns in flight and one incubating.  The outing was followed by a visit to the exhibition.

Activities supporting WAD2026 in Japan were organized by the WAD&SW Committee, comprising six conservation organizations: the Wild Bird Society of Japan, the Oceanic Wildlife Society, BirdLife International Tokyo, Institute of Boninology, Little Tern Project, and the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology.

Permission has been obtained from the parents/guardians for their children to appear in the  photograph of the musical presentation.

From information and photographs received.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 05 August 2026, edited 10 August 2026