A large sea bird with some species having a wingspan of up to twelve feet. Although being one of the largest birds of the sea, they are remarkable for their flying prowess. Their ability to fly great distances is due to their strength and their use of various types of soaring. It is believed that if it flies around a ship at sea for a long time there will be bad weather. If an albatross is killed, it is said to bring bad luck. Samuel Taylor Coleridge turned this into the famous poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.