Albatrosses
Order: Procellariiformes. Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses comprise between 13 and 24 species (the number of species is still a matter of some debate, 21 being the most commonly accepted number) in 4 genera. The four genera are the great albatrosses (Diomedea), the mollymawks (Thalassarche), the North Pacific albatrosses (Phoebastria), and the sooty albatrosses or sooties (Phoebetria). Of the four genera, the North Pacific albatrosses are considered a sister taxon to the great albatrosses, while the sooty albatrosses are considered closer to the mollymawks. There are 15 species occur in Southern Africa.
- Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena
- Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans
- Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora
- Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi
- Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta
- Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris
- Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos
- Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma
- Salvin's Albatross Thalassarche salvini
- Chatham Albatross Thalassarche eremita
- Buller's Albatross Thalassarche bulleri accidental
- Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri
- Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata accidental
- Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca accidental
- Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis accidental
Read more about this topic: List Of Southern African Birds