Chick With Ticks
This is a bit of a crop and not really sharp, but I wanted to show a few things about these black-browed albatrosses (parent with young).
The nest here is a tall mound of mud and grass with a big bowl on top for the egg/young. You can see the lip in this shot. Black-browed albatross breed once a year, laying only one egg. A young bird takes 7 - 10 years to become a breeding adult. This 'lifestyle' presents a challenge in recovering from population crashes, be they natural (bird flu) or manmade (overfishing/long-lining).
The parents are quite attentive, taking turns to care for the young and spending time grooming the chick. It is amazing how gentle these very large birds are with their tiny offspring.
In this case, the chick is being checked over and groomed, but still has a significant tick infestation on the underside of the beak. There are recesses that provide them a bit of protection from the adult's beak.
Chick With Ticks
This is a bit of a crop and not really sharp, but I wanted to show a few things about these black-browed albatrosses (parent with young).
The nest here is a tall mound of mud and grass with a big bowl on top for the egg/young. You can see the lip in this shot. Black-browed albatross breed once a year, laying only one egg. A young bird takes 7 - 10 years to become a breeding adult. This 'lifestyle' presents a challenge in recovering from population crashes, be they natural (bird flu) or manmade (overfishing/long-lining).
The parents are quite attentive, taking turns to care for the young and spending time grooming the chick. It is amazing how gentle these very large birds are with their tiny offspring.
In this case, the chick is being checked over and groomed, but still has a significant tick infestation on the underside of the beak. There are recesses that provide them a bit of protection from the adult's beak.