# UKBirds

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## Atlantic Yellow-Nosed Albatross

### Thalassarche chlororhynchos

The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, Thalassarche chlororhynchos, is a large seabird in the albatross family. This small mollymawk was once considered conspecific with the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross and known as the Yellow-nosed Albatross. Some authorities still believe the species to be the same, such as Jeff Clements and the SACC, which recognizes that a proposal is needed.
The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross averages 81 cm (32 in) in length. It is a typical black and white mollymawk with a grey head and large eye patch, and its nape and hindneck are white. Its bill is black with a yellow culmenicorn and a pink tip. It has a blackish grey saddle, tail and upperwing, and its underparts are predominantly white. Its underwing and primaries show a narrow black margin. The juvenile is similar to the adult but with a white head and black bill. It can be differentiated from the Indian Yellow-nosed by its darker head. Relative to other mollymawks it can be distinguished by its smaller size (the wings being particularly narrow) and the thin black edging to the underwing, The Grey-headed Albatross has a similar grey head but more extensive and less well defined black markings around the edge of the underwing. Salvin's Albatross also has a grey head but has much broader wings, a pale bill and even narrower black borders to the underwing.