---
title: "Results of the most recent albatross counts on Kure Atoll"
---

# Results of the most recent albatross counts on Kure Atoll

The [Kure Atoll Conservancy](http://kureatollconservancy.org/) has reported on the completion of the most recent counts of breeding albatrosses on [Kure Atoll](http://www.acap.aq/en/news/latest-news/1801-acap-breeding-site-no-73-kure-world-s-most-northerly-coral-atoll-supports-black-footed-and-laysan-albatrosses), one of the USA’s North-Western Hawaiian Islands.

 Whole-island counts of occupied nests have revealed totals of 38 307 Laysan Albatross *Phoebastria immutabilis* pairs, against 17 604 nests in the previous season.  The previous highest count was of 24 323 in 2012.

 The Black-footed Albatross *P. nigripes* count was of 3671 occupied nests, 817 more than last year’s count and close to the 2011 record high of 3766.

 ![](http://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Black_footed/Black-footed  and Laysan Albatrosses Kure Atoll Conservancy.jpg)

 A Black-footed and a Laysan Albatross on Kure Atoll

 The Short-tailed Albatross *P. albatrus* female-female pair is once more present on the atoll; this couple have had a confirmed nest each year on Kure since 2010.  The Hawaiian Department Land and Natural Resources ([DNLR](http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/)) did not have a presence during winter months on Kure Atoll before 2010 so it is possible they had been present earlier but gone undocumented.

 ![](http://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/S/Short_tailed/Short-tail pair Kure Atoll Conservancy.jpg) 

 Short-tailed Albatross female-female pair on Kure Atoll

 In other Kure news the body of a Black-footed Albatross that was banded on the atoll in June washed up on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i in late December.  Black-footed Albatrosses are only occasionally seen on the main Hawaiian Islands.

 ![](http://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Black_footed/Black-footed Albatross Molokai Kure Atoll Conservancy.jpg) 

 Banded Black-footed Albatross corpse on Moloka'i

 Information from the [Kure Atoll Conservancy](http://kureatollconservancy.org/).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 09 January 2015*