The two species breed on the same Hawaiian islands, but black-footed albatrosses head northeast toward the west coast of North America to forage while Laysan albatrosses head northwest toward the northern and western regions of the North Pacific.
Both species feed on the same types of animals — squid, fish and fish eggs — and both occupy the same trophic level, or position in the food chain.
Because albatrosses are at the top of the marine food chain, their bodies tend to accumulate toxic contaminants, such as mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane).
"Biomagnification means that you get higher concentrations of these compounds as you go up the food chain, but these species appear to be feeding at the same trophic level," said Finkelstein in the release.
"We saw huge differences in contaminant levels, which we attribute, at least in part, to the differences in foraging patterns between the two species," said Finkelstein.
Finkelstein suspects that a long history of industrial and agricultural discharges along the western coast of the United States partly explains why contaminant concentrations are higher in black-footed albatrosses than Laysan albatrosses, said the release.
Though no longer produced in the United States, PCBs (oily liquids used in coolants and lubricants) and DDT (an organic pesticide) are highly persistent in the environment and continue to be produced by other countries.
"The increases we saw compared with 10 years ago probably reflect the ongoing use of these chemicals in countries that border the Pacific," said Finkelstein in the release.
"It is very difficult to show a cause-and-effect link in a wild population, but there is evidence of health impacts in other species at these contaminant levels," said Finkelstein. "We are only beginning to understand many of the subtle effects they can have, such as endocrine disruption and effects on the immune system.
"A lot of people think this issue has been taken care of, but it is still very much a problem."
Name: Laysan Albatross, aka Goony Bird (
Diomedea immutabilis)
Primary Classification: Procellariiformes (Albatross, Petrels and Shearwaters)
Location: Mid- to northern Pacific.
Habitat: Open ocean, breeding on islands.
Diet: Schooling fish, squid, fish eggs and crustaceans.
Size: A little over 2 ft in length with a 6-ft wingspan.
Description: White head and body; black wings and tail; gray to yellow-orange bill with black, hooked tip; pink legs; webbed feet.
Cool Facts: Once a chick leaves land for the first time, it won't return for three to five years when it is ready to find a mate. Over 70 percent of the world's population nests on the Midway Atoll. It mates for life and lives for about 50 years.
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Major Threat(s): Longline fishing, pollution and invasive species.
What Can I Do?: Visit
Save the Albatross for information on how you can help.
