A black-browed albatross soars on high winds over its breeding colony on New Island, Falkland Islands. WHOI biologist Francesco Ventura filmed these awe-inspiring seabirds as a graduate student studying albatross breeding and migration.
The colony is home to 15,000 breeding pairs, including the two seen here “allopreening” or gently preening each other– a common behavior when reuniting after a long foraging trip. These two are part of a long-term, 400-nest study, and Ventura said they’ve been “married” for around two decades.
“This behavior was found to lower the stress on both partners, and in some cases it was found to help with removal of parasites,” Ventura says. “To be honest, I think they are cuddling and just genuinely feeling good about seeing each other.”
Do you see any parallels in human relationships? Share your “allopreening” tips in the comments!
Courtesy of Francesco Ventura
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