Canada, Eastern Central Pacific (B) (NB), Japan (E) (B), Marshall Islands (NB), Mexico (B), Micronesia [Federated States of] (NB), Northeast Pacific (NB), Northern Mariana Islands (NB), Northwest Pacific (B) (NB), Russia (Asian) (NB), United States Minor Outlying Islands (E) (B), USA (NB), Western Central Pacific (NB).
Vagrant to New Zealand, Norfolk Island.
Western Hawaii, mainly on Laysan I and Midway I. A colony recently established on Bonin Is, off south-eastern Japan. Recent expansion in eastern too, on islands off western Mexico.
Similar Species
Easily separated from the wholly dark Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) which is wholly dark and adult Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) which has a white back.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet