Actually, there was a record of Short-tailed Albatross from 'Hong Kong'. Check the book 'Threatened birds of Asia'. You can see one bird was claimed to be caught by fishermen from 'Hong Kong' about 100 years ago! But it just cannot find out the bird was really caught in HK waters or been brought into HK.
OK. then from my past experience the mega rarity would finally come out when people become NOT hoping it. An example is the Chinese Crested Tern. I remember that people already discussed that was extincted but just a few months later 4 pairs were re-discovered! So, I am going to say that Albatross is very UNLIKELY to come to HK based on following reasons:
1) So far I only realised two injuried albatrosses (one is Short-tailed, one is Laysan) were found in Taiwan in past 10 years. Also, I think there are also not many sighting records from Taiwan as well (but would like to see anyone could update my information!!).
2) Although the Short-tailed Albatross bred in Panghu islands (near Taiwan) about 150 years ago, the current nearest site for albatrosses is Dao-yu Island located between Taiwan and Okinawa. Several pairs of Short-tailed Albatrosses are breeding there and also Black-footed Albatrosses as well. The albatrosses are breeding in the time of northern winter, i.e. from November to April. Then in northern summer, they migrate north up to Alaska. Young birds have been recorded in the northern pacific in the breeding season (i.e. not going to southern area). Therefore, they like cold weather and they would not need warmer weather in the south.... So..HK could not attract it...
3) Many seabirds, including albatrosses, depends on sea current for food resource. The Dao-yu Island is actually on the main current called Kuroshio current (also called 'Black' current) which bring numerous food source for not only seabirds, but also cetaceans. However, this current becomes so weak when entering South China Sea. That is also why we have so few records of procellariiformes/procellariidae. In addition, many said that the fish stock in HK and South China Sea has been seriously depleted. So, we just do not have enough food to attract them...
So, I am not so optimisitic for albatross in HK. But only one record could reject all above..... I am in fact happy to see I could be wrong this time!!
