Albatrosses are among the most unique seabirds in the world. These large, graceful flyers are not only known for their extraordinary wingspans that go as long as 11 feet, but also for their exceptional behaviours and impressive adaptability to life at sea.

These birds spend the vast majority of their lives soaring above the open ocean, coming ashore only to breed and raise young. Their bodies and instincts are finely tuned to oceanic life, and not only that, some of their relatives can even smell food from miles away and potentially sleep mid-flight. Here are five incredible facts about what makes them so extraordinary.