Laysan Albatross

Deprived of wing exercise by family cares, LAYSAN ALBATROSSES revert to dancing to keep themselves fit. Fisher calls this diversion a cakewalk. The birds approach one another bowing profoundly and stepping heavily. They swagger about each other, curtseying solemnly, then suddenly fencing with crossed bills; whetting them sometimes with a whistling sound, meanwhile pecking and dropping stiff little bows. Suddenly one lifts its wing and nibbles at feathers underneath. The partner during this performance assumes a statuesque pose and either looks from side to side or snaps its bill loudly. Then the first bird bows once and pointing its head and bill perpendicularly, rises on its toes, puffs out its chest and utters a prolonged nasal Ah-h-h-h with rising inflection. Often other birds raise their heads and echo this ridiculous bovine groan. Occasionally the act is varied by one bird picking up a twig and presenting it to the partner — who refuses the gift but returns the compliment, whereupon both drop the offering and renew the bowing performance. The species was saved from extinction not by plume murderers but by President Roosevelt in 1909 when he created the group of island bird sanctuaries.