Albatrosses are largely confined to the region referred to by early mariners as the 'Roaring Forties' and the 'Furious Fifties', otherwise known as the Southern Ocean. The single most distinctive characteristic of the albatrosses is that they ride storms. Aside from a few close relatives among the petrels and shearwaters, they are the only animals (of any kind) that do this.
This work outlines the life histories of these spectacular birds, and explores some of the main strategies and tactics that have evolved to enable them to achieve mastery of one of the most hostile regions on the planet.