漂泊信天翁（Diomedea exulans）是一種大型的信天翁,，生活在南冰洋附近。漂泊信天翁是體型最大的一種信天翁,，也是眾多鳥類中,，翼展最長的一種鳥，平均達3.1m,，最長可達3.7m,。漂泊信天翁以烏賊，小魚,，和船只丟棄的廢物為食,，有的時候會吃得太飽而飛不起來，只好很無助地在水面上休息,。
漂泊信天翁一次繁殖只生一個蛋,，蛋是白色，上面有斑點,，大約10厘米長,。在繁殖季節(jié)，它們會在南冰洋的島上（如奧克蘭、紐西蘭,、愛德華王子群島等）占領一些松散的領地來筑巢并且繁育后代,。它們的巢呈火山狀，用植物建造,，在底部寬約一米,，頂部寬約半米。
漂泊信天翁平均壽命22.8年,一生有十分之九的時間生活在海上平均壽命22.8年,一生有十分之九的時間生活在海上,。最新的研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，衰老對漂泊信天翁這種特別長壽的鳥類的覓食模式和繁殖等活動具有直接的影響，但是不會影響這種動物的天然生理,。該研究發(fā)表于最新一期的PNAS上,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.0911181107
Patterns of aging in the long-lived wandering albatross
Vincent Julien Lecomtea,1, Gabriele Sorcib, Stéphane Cornetb, Audrey Jaegera, Bruno Faivreb, Emilie Arnouxb, Maria Gaillardb, Colette Trouvéa, Dominique Bessona, Olivier Chastela, and Henri Weimerskircha
How does an animal age in natural conditions? Given the multifaceted nature of senescence, identifying the effects of age on physiology and behavior remains challenging. We investigated the effects of age on a broad array of phenotypic traits in a wild, long-lived animal, the wandering albatross. We studied foraging behavior using satellite tracking and activity loggers in males and females (age 6–48+ years), and monitored reproductive performance and nine markers of baseline physiology known to reflect senescence in vertebrates (humoral immunity, oxidative stress, antioxidant defenses, and hormone levels). Age strongly affected foraging behavior and reproductive performance, but not baseline physiology. Consistent with results of mammal and human studies, age affected males and females differently. Overall, our findings demonstrate that age, sex, and foraging ability interact in shaping aging patterns in natural conditions. Specifically, we found an unexpected pattern of spatial segregation by age; old males foraged in remote Antarctica waters, whereas young and middle-aged males never foraged south of the Polar Front. Old males traveled a greater distance but were less active at the sea surface, and returned from sea with elevated levels of stress hormone (corticosterone), mirroring a low foraging efficiency. In contrast to findings in captive animals and short-lived birds, and consistent with disposable soma theory, we found no detectable age-related deterioration of baseline physiology in albatrosses. We propose that foraging efficiency (i.e., the ability of individuals to extract energy from their environment) might play a central role in shaping aging patterns in natural conditions.
