At an estimated age of 74, the world’s oldest known wild bird, Wisdom, has laid an egg—her first in four years. U.S. wildlife officials shared the remarkable news, estimating this to be her 60th egg. According to a Facebook post by the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the long-winged Laysan albatross returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, at the northwestern edge of the Hawaiian Archipelago, to lay the egg.
She has been raising chicks with her mate Akeakamai off and on since 2006. Mating Laysan albatross for life, only lays one egg in a year. Officials say the missing mate Akeakamai has not been present at the refuge for many years. This time, once Wisdom returned to the refuge last week she began interacting with another male.
Jonathan Plissner, a supervisory wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, said, “We are optimistic that the egg will hatch.” He also emphasized the significance of the refuge as a nesting site, with millions of seabirds returning every year to raise their young.
The albatross parenting process involves mutual incubation of the egg for two months. After hatching, chicks stay on land for five to six months before flying out to sea. Albatrosses, as exemplified by Wisdom, spend most of their lives gliding over the ocean while feeding on squid and fish eggs.
Wisdom’s tenacity has captured the hearts of social media users. One commenter shared a personal experience, writing, “I met a black vulture, Orville, in 2016 that was an educational animal with Audubon in Massachusetts. We had no exact age on him, but the director I worked with said that Orville was a fully grown adult in 1977 when he started working at that location.” Another user admired Wisdom, saying, “Incredible! Wisdom, you are my heroine!”
Other comments expressed appreciation for Wisdom’s longevity and tenacity. One user exclaimed, “So very, very awesome! Thank you for sharing!” while another celebrated, “That’s phenomenal! You go, grand dame of Midway.”
Banded as an adult in 1956, Wisdom has probably raised about 30 chicks over her lifetime. The average lifespan of Laysan albatrosses is about 68 years, so it is very impressive that Wisdom continues to amaze both scientists and wildlife enthusiasts worldwide.
