An Albatross in flight

Albatross are stunning birds to watch. Simple as that. When you catch a glimpse of them you can quite easily see why early explorers had an obsession with them. Countless poems and stories tell of their graceful presence on the high seas, gliding over the swell and waves that were higher than the ships themselves. An interesting fact is that Albatross need wind in order to fly. Their huge wings catch the high winds that scream over the surface of the ocean, which is what keeps them in the air effortlessly. So, when there is no wind the Albatross can not fly and will sit on the surface of the water and wait for the wind to pick back up so they can continue on their way.

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“Wings are of many kinds. Butterfly's wings, vulture's wings, eagle-wings, spread wings of white swans, dragonfly's serene wings, wings of albatross, lovely wings of humming birds, tiny wings of a fly or a bumble-bee-wings; and when they fly, they fly their best according to their ability of flying. We should not underestimate the size of those heavenly wings.”
― Munia Khan

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A black-browed Albatross in the Drake Passage.
Click image to view full size.

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