Albatrosses and petrels

The albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, and two families of storm petrels are all seabirds formerly called Tubinares and still called tubenoses in English. They are almost exclusively pelagic (feeding in the open ocean), and have a cosmopolitan distribution across the world\'s oceans. These are colonial birds, mostly nesting on remote, predator-free islands. They always return to their natal colony to breed and return to the same nesting site over many years. They form long-term pair bonds that last over several or even for the life of the pair. Females lay a single egg and both parents participate in incubation and chick rearing. Incubation times are long compared to other birds, as are fledging periods. These seabirds have had a long relationship with humans. They have been important food sources for many people, and continue to be hunted as such in some parts of the world.