Белошапочный альбатрос (Thalassarche cauta steadi)

Subspecies of bird
the subspecies of albatross that breeds in the Auckland and Antipodes islands
Subspeciesbox
| status = NT
| status system = IUCN3.1
| status ref =
| image = Thalassarche cauta steadi. jpg
| genus = Thalassarche
| species = cauta
| subspecies = steadi
| authority = (Falla, 1933) They also have a salt gland that is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their bodies, due to the high amount of ocean water that they imbibe. It excretes a high saline solution from their nose. The white capped albatross is part of a greater complex of albatrosses consisting of the shy albatross, Thasassarche cauta, Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini, and Chatham albatross, Thalassarche eremita. In 1998, Robertson and Nunn recommended a four way split, some experts agreed. BirdLife International agreed in 2007, ACAP agreed in 2006, and Brooke agreed in 2004. The SACC agreed to a three way split, leaving steadi, the white capped albatross grouped with the shy albatross. The Clements taxonomy has yet to agree on any of these splits. Finally, following Brooke, this species was shifted from Diomedea to Thalassarche, which was generally agreed upon by most experts.

The white capped albatross averages in length, with a wingspan of It weighs It has a bold white cap that contrasts with a pale silver gray face and a darker brow. Some adults have a white back with brown tipped feathers. They have a dark gray mantle and a black tail. Most of the rest of the body is white. Its bill is pale gray to blue with a yellow tip. Juveniles have a gray bill with a dark tip, and their head is darker, with gray to the collar.

They are a surface feeder, but may utilize shallow dives for their food which is fish, cephalopods, tunicates, and crustacea. Since 2006, Auckland Island birds have been tracked, and this will continue.