How Wandering Albatrosses use weather systems to fly long distances. 2. The use of eastward-moving cold fronts from Antarctic LOWs to travel westwards across the Indian Ocean

doi:10.1071/MU01011

How Wandering Albatrosses use weather systems to fly long distances. 2. The use of eastward-moving cold fronts from Antarctic LOWs to travel westwards across the Indian Ocean

M. D. Murray, D. G. Nicholls, E. Butcher and P. J. Moors

Emu 103(1) 59 - 65

Abstract

The flights of two non-breeding Wandering Albatrosses, Diomedea exulans exulans, were followed across the Indian Ocean from Australia. Most flight paths tacked across winds, with the forward flight being maintained within an arc of 110–170° from the direction of following winds. Westward flights, between 30°S and 50°S, repeatedly used the SW winds behind cold fronts associated with Antarctic LOWs. These winds enabled the birds to fly to the north-west and, when this brought the birds ahead of an easterly moving HIGH, the E–NE winds blowing to the north of the HIGH were used to continue the westerly movement.