The world’s oldest known wild bird laid eggs at about 74 years old, US biologists say.
Wisdom the Laysan Albatross was photographed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with her newest partner caring for her eggs at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Ocean.
Members of this species typically live only 12 to 40 years, but Wisdom was tagged in 1956 when she was about 5 years old.
Her last child was hatched in 2021. She is thought to have given birth to more than 30 chicks during her lifetime.
USFWS announced on X that Wisdom was dating a new partner this year and that her previous partner, Akeamai, had not been seen in several years.
This species typically mates for life, but it is thought that she has already outlived at least three matings.
John Prisner, the reserve’s supervising wildlife biologist, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that Wisdom was one of two to three million Laysan albatross that migrate to Midway to breed.
He said biologists have not seen any other birds even close to her age, and the oldest was 45 years old.
“It was really amazing,” he said. “The Wiz seems to intrigue people all over the world. We wait with bated breath for her return every year.”
He said Wisdom appears to still have the energy and instincts to raise another chick, giving the eggs a 70 to 80 percent chance of hatching.
Albatross parents share incubation duties and, once the chicks hatch, share in feeding duties.
Wisdom was first identified and tagged after she laid eggs in 1956. Laysan albatross are not known to breed until they are five years old.
Although Midway Atoll is part of the Hawaiian Islands, it is not part of the U.S. state of Hawaii and is considered an unincorporated territory of the United States.
This wildlife sanctuary is home to the world’s largest albatross colony.
