page_title: Laysan albatross
section_title: Distribution and habitat
hierarchical_section_title: Laysan albatross / Distribution and habitat
caption_attribution_description: English: Laysan Albatross with wings extended, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
context_page_description: The Laysan albatross is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are home to 99.7% of the population. This small gull-like albatross is the second-most common seabird in the Hawaiian Islands, with an estimated population of 2.5 million birds, and is currently expanding its range to new islands. The Laysan albatross was first described as Diomedea immutabilis by Lionel Walter Rothschild, in 1893, on the basis of a specimen from Laysan Island.
context_section_description: The Laysan albatross has a wide range across the North Pacific, with 16 nesting sites. All but 0.3% of the breeding population is found among the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, particularly the islands of Midway and Laysan. Small populations are found on the Bonin Islands near Japan and the bird has begun to colonize islands off Mexico, such as Guadalupe Island and others in the Revillagigedo Archipelago. When away from the breeding areas, they range widely from Japan to the Bering Sea and south to 15°N.
caption: Laysan albatross landing on water near one of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska
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