Albatross Attempts Landing, Fails Spectacularly! #RoyalCam | NZ DOC | Cornell Lab

Flying for the Northern Royal Albatross is mainly effortless, landing can be a little bit harder. #RoyalCam chick had a front row seat to a ‘how not to land’ lesson.

Landing is challenging because of the narrow wings of the albatross, which do not generate sufficient lift to fly slowly. Their preference is to take off and land when it's quite windy, which allows better control at slow speeds while using the angle of the wing and the speed of the wind to control the descent. However, on calmer days, things can get tricky, as is seen here.

Lucky for the somersaulting alby, recovery was quick and only the chick was watching!! Albatrosses are sturdy birds accustomed to periodic mishaps on landing, and true to form, this adult walked away and appeared fine.

RoyalCam was set up in January 2016 by the Department of Conservation. For the 2020-21 season we have collaborated with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. To learn more while watching, view the cam at

or at
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Royal Cam is a 24-hour live stream of a Northern Royal Albatross nest during the breeding season at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head on the southeast tip of New Zealand's South Island.

The 2020/21 Royal Albatross cam season is underway with a return performance from breeding pair LGL (the female, named for her leg bands colored lime/green/lime) and LGK (the male, lime/green/black), last seen on cam in 2018-2019. The female laid the pair’s egg on November 7, and it hatched on January 24, 2021.

A new season means a fresh view of the Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve’s windswept headland! The camera has been repositioned to feature this new nest for the official start of the season. Be sure to follow the cam on Twitter

to get all the updates during what’s sure to be another action-packed season on New Zealand’s South Island.

#birdcams #live #albatross #birds #wildlife #nature #nowplaying #newzealand #endangeredspecies

[kimarcher]

Any landing that you walk away from is a good landing.

[baumer]

As they say in the Air Force, any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. :)

[cybercroneCA]

The injured dignity is hilarious! "Watchoo lookin' at? Nothing going on here." Shake, shake, fluff.

[aowyn_]

I was watching live when this happened, startled the heck out of me. In equal parts I was giggling and worried that he was ok lol glad he was able to walk it off, such amazing birds 😍

[junerittmeyer]

I fell flat on my face yesterday whilst descending from a bus. I thought I had broken my nose. I'm glad there were no cams around and I wonder if this fellow minds his mishap being filmed and distributed!!

[missmarie]

She did that on purpose to make the baby laugh!! :-)))

[captainhilarity]

Every time i watch the alby cam this comes up and i have to watch it again 😂

[RemoGutierrez]

That's hilarious. I didn't think birds did that.. They always land gracefully on their feet

[CindyCollins]

Showing little one how it’s not done. Glad they are ok 🥰

[MmntechCa]

This is called a nose-over in the aviation world. Applied the brakes too hard on touchdown. Wasn't going that fast though, so probably nothing hurt but his pride.

[airuisheng]

These birds are quite common in Wellington, New Zealand, where I visited once to witness the All Black Gods eat Wallaby Stew.
This type of "landing" is not uncommon. I saw even more spectacular landings in the days before I had a camera in my cell phone; particularly on bitumen or concrete. Landings on the water are contrastingly serene.
Loved the way she walked away nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.

[sadugas]

What a spectacular landing! Good as it gets, esp the after landing tumble!

[Turboy]

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one!

[liznm-natur-channel]

I'm glad, that he is doing well!

[UntitledKirk]

Left the kid at home, went afternoon drinking, got hammered, then proceeded to fly drunk home! Outstanding roll model...

[carolynnunes]

I watch Lady Hawk’s channel, and I saw a crash landing just like this a day or 2 ago!
For me, to watch them unfurl their wings and lift off looks like they’re just floating away... and as they are soaring and gliding in the air, it looks so effortless, until you see landing like this! Taking office easy, but landing is so much more difficult, as is proven by this video!
Watching an albatross takeoff, and watching them sort through the air always fills me with awe, and almost takes my breath away every time!

[pyreneesgal]

I never knew how much I could relate to an albatross until now

[buddha]

Lmaoo this was a funny video.
The albatross gets up n u see it swearin its head off at failing to land 😂.

The other birds all like chill sittin there watching.

[catsinhouse]

"And That, child, is how it's Not done! Were you paying attention??"

[donnabaribeau]

Thank you God that he was okay, tough landing