Text extracted from Gill B.J.; Bell, B.D.; Chambers, G.K.; Medway, D.G.; Palma, R.L.; Scofield, R.P.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Worthy, T.H. 2010. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. 4th edition. Wellington, Te Papa Press and Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Pages 64 & 68.

Order PROCELLARIIFORMES: Albatrosses, Petrels, Prions and Shearwaters Checklist Committee (1990) recognised three families within the Procellariiformes, however, four families are recognised here, with the reinstatement of Pelecanoididae, following many other recent authorities (e.g. Marchant & Higgins 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1992, Viot et al. 1993, Warham 1996: 484, Nunn & Stanley 1998, Dickinson 2003, Brooke 2004, Onley & Scofield 2007). The relationships of the families within the Procellariiformes are debated (e.g. Sibley & Alquist 1990, Christidis & Boles 1994, Nunn & Stanley 1998, Livezey & Zusi 2001, Kennedy & Page 2002, Rheindt & Austin 2005), so a traditional arrangement (Jouanin & Mougin 1979, Marchant & Higgins 1990, Warham 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1992, Warham 1996: 505, Dickinson 2003, Brooke 2004) has been adopted. The taxonomic recommendations (based on molecular analysis) on the Procellariiformes of Penhallurick & Wink (2004) have been heavily criticised (Rheindt & Austin 2005) and have seldom been followed here.

Family DIOMEDEIDAE G.R. Gray: Albatrosses Diomedeidae G.R. Gray, 1840: List Gen. Birds (1st edition): 78 – Type genus Diomedea Linnaeus, 1758.

Albatross genera follow recommendations by Nunn et al. (1996) and Robertson & Nunn (1998), which have been adopted widely, e.g. Holdaway et al. (2001), Shirihai (2002), Dickinson (2003), Brooke (2004), Onley & Scofield (2007). The arrangement of species used here follows the traditional order of Jouanin & Mougin (1979), except that the species within Thalassarche follow Robertson & Nunn (1998) to better reflect relationships. Common names used here mainly follow Tickell (2000).

Genus Phoebastria Reichenbach Phoebastria Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat.: 5 – Type species (by original designation) Diomedea brachyura Temminck = Phoebastria albatrus Pallas. Julietata Mathews, 1943: in Mathews & Hallstrom, Notes Procellariiformes: 27 – Type species (by original designation) Diomedea irrorata Salvin = Phoebastria irrorata (Salvin). Galapagornis Boetticher, 1949: Beitr. Gattungssyst. Vögel: 27 – Type species (by original designation) Diomedea irrorata Salvin = Phoebastria irrorata (Salvin). Laysanornis Boetticher, 1949: Beitr. Gattungssyst. Vögel: 27 – Type species (by original designation) Diomedea immutabilis Rothschild = Phoebastria immutabilis (Rothschild). Penthirenia Boetticher, 1949: Beitr. Gattungssyst. Vögel: 27 – Type species (by original designation) Diomedea nigripes Audubon = Phoebastria nigripes (Audubon).

Phoebastria nigripes (Audubon) Black-footed Albatross Diomedea nigripes Audubon, 1839: Ornith. Biography 5: 327 – Pacific Ocean, 30o 44' N, 146o W. Thalassarche nigripes (Audubon); Mathews 1927, Syst. Avium Australasianarum 1: 131. Phoebastria nigripes reischekia Mathews, 1930: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 51: 29 – New Zealand, restricted to Dusky Sound (fide Oliver 1955, New Zealand Birds, 2nd edition: 181). Diomedea nigripes Audubon; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 18. Phoebastria nigripes (Audubon); Brooke 2004, Albatrosses and Petrels across the World: 190.

North Pacific Ocean, breeding on the Leeward Hawai’ian Islands and on Torishima, Izu Islands; ranging mainly into the north-east Pacific (Jouamin & Mougin 1979). Only one New Zealand record: Dusky Sound, Jul. 1884, in the Reischek collection (i.e. at Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Oliver 1955).