---
title: "41 thousand nests.  The albatrosses of Kure Atoll get counted for the 2025/26 breeding season"
---

# 41 thousand nests.  The albatrosses of Kure Atoll get counted for the 2025/26 breeding season

*![Dec 2025 Kure Atoll 2](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Black_footed/Dec_2025_Kure_Atoll_2.jpg)A Black-footed Albatross pair on Kure Atoll, November 2025*

 The annual albatross nest count on Kure Atoll (Hōlanikū) in the Northwestern Pacific Islands for the 2025/26 breeding season has been completed, yielding a total of over 41 thousand occupied nests.  Species totals were 38 153 nests for the Laysan Albatross *Phoebastria immutabilis* and 3042 for the Black-footed Albatross *P. nigripes*.

 *![Dec 2025 Kure Atoll 3](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/L/Laysan/Dec_2025_Kure_Atoll_3.jpg)  
A Laysan Albatross pair on Kure Atoll, November 2025*

 “Each nest represents new life and continued hope for these iconic seabirds!  Mahalo to everyone who helps protect Hōlanikū and the wildlife that call it home.”

 *![Nov 2025 Short tailed Kure Atoll 2](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/S/Short_tailed/Nov_2025_Short-tailed_Kure_Atoll_2.jpg)*

 *![Nov 2025 Short tailed Kure SAtoll](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/S/Short_tailed/Nov_2025_Short-tailed_Kure_SAtoll.jpg)  
Two Short-tailed Albatrosses seen on Kure Atoll, November-December 2025*

 At least three Short-tailed Albatrosses*P. albatrus*were spotted on Kure Atoll during November 2025.  All the posted photographs are of birds in non-adult plumage, although birds in adult plumage have been previously seen on the atoll.  From at least 2010 to 2018 a [female-female pair](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/oh-for-a-male-kure-atoll-s-female-female-pair-of-short-tailed-albatrosses-is-back-incubating-for-a-sixth-consecutive-season?highlight=WyJrdXJlIiwia3VyZSdzIiwiZmVtYWxlLWZlbWFsZSJd) (both banded as chicks on Torishima and of known age) laid infertile eggs on Kure Atoll.  Short-tailed Albatross [decoys](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/short-tailed-albatross-decoys-get-ready-to-be-shipped-out-to-kure-atoll-but-a-real-one-has-already-shown-up?highlight=WyJrdXJlIiwia3VyZSdzIiwiZGVjb3kiLCJkZWNveXMiXQ==) have been deployed on Kure in the hope of encouraging breeding.

 *![OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/L/Laysan/Dec_2025_Kure_Atoll_banded_hybrid.jpg)  
Metal-banded hybrid Black-footed-Laysan Albatross, Kure Atoll, December 2025*

 Information and photographs from weekly reports from the field team on the [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/kureatollconservancy) of the [Kure Atoll Conservancy](https://kureatollconservancy.org/).

 *John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses* *and Petrels, 31 December 2025*