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Displays observed at sea for four species of albatross (Diomedea exulans, D. melanophris, D. cauta and D. chlororhynchus) off the south-west coast of South Africa are described. Incidence of occurrence is related to time of year and to number of birds. Displays were observed mainly in November and December, during the breeding seasons of all four species. It is suggested that displays at sea occur among non-breeding adult and immature birds and are similar to pair-formation displays at the breeding grounds.