---
title: "White-capped Albatrosses occur regularly in the south-western Atlantic - where they are at risk from longlining"
---

# White-capped Albatrosses occur regularly in the south-western Atlantic - where they are at risk from longlining

A paper recently published in the journal *[Emu](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/96.htm)* by a group of Uruguayan researchers (Sebastián Jiménez, Andrés Domingo, Alejandro Marquez, Martin Abreu, Alejandro D'Anatro and Alfredo Pereira) reveals that the White-capped Albatross *Thalassarche steadi* is more common in the south-western Atlantic Ocean than hitherto thought.

 Genetic analysis of five "shy-type" albatrosses caught on longlines on the continental slope off Uruguay revealed them all to be White-capped Albatrosses.  Observations of birds at sea in the region and identified only as "shy-type" were thus likely to be White-capped Albatrosses.  Most of them were immature birds but adults were also seen.  Apart from a single bird seen ashore in a breeding colony at Bird Island, South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur), and also confirmed genetically ([click here](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/96/paper/MU03057.htm)), these appear to be the first definite records of the species from the region.

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/W/White-capped Albatross nest byDavid Thompson.jpg "White-capped Albatross.  Photograph by David Thompson")

 The paper shows that the normal non-breeding range for the White-capped Albatross should be extended to include the south-western Atlantic as well as the waters off southern Africa and Australia ([click here](https://www.acap.aq/acap-species) to view the ACAP Species Assessment for the White-capped Albatross and for more details and references to its at-sea distribution).

 **Reference:**

 Jiménez, S., Domingo, A., Marquez, A., Abreu, M., D'Anatro, A. & Pereira, A. 2009.  Interactions of long-line fishing with seabirds in the south-western Atlantic Ocean, with a focus on White-capped Albatrosses (*Thalassarche steadi*).  *Emu*109: 321-326. [http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/96/paper/MU09048.htm](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/96/paper/MU09048.htm).

 See also a companion paper by Sebastián Jiménez and colleagues in the journal *Polar Biology* ([click here](http://www.springerlink.com/content/d223846875766843/?p=0a8e66ae881c4a6f865484e9fcef03f8&pi=5)).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 27 December 2009*