Royal Albatross Colony Dunedin

The breeding birds arrive at Taiaroa Head in September. The nest, built during early November, is formed by a bird sitting down and pulling vegetation and earth around itself with its bill. The white egg, weighing up to 500 grams, is laid during the first three weeks of November. The parents share incubation duty in spells of two to eight days over a period of 11 weeks - one of the longest incubation periods of any bird. The incubating bird sleeps much of the time its mate is away.

For the first 20 days the chick is fed on demand, then meals decrease to three or four times a week. At 100 days the chick's down reaches a maximum length of 12 centimetres. At this age the chick is fed larger meals, up to two kilograms at a time, of more solid substance. From early August the chick is fed lighter meals and in September, when fully fledged, it wanders from the nest testing its outstretched wings and eventually takes off with the aid of a strong wind. The young albatross will spend the next three to six years at sea; many then return to this unique headland to start another generation of Royals of Taiaroa.

Albatross Centre hours of operation

The Royal Albatross Centre is open daily all year except Christmas Day (no tours on Tuesday mornings).

- Colony viewing from the Observatory from the 24th November until the 16th  September each year.
- Summer hours from 9am (tour each hour)

- Winter hours from 10am (tour each hour)

Royal Albatross Colony Dunedin - Tairoa Head bird sanctuary