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Albatross, 65, gives birth again on Midway

Michael Tsai

A 65-year-old Laysan albatross named Wisdom — the oldest known bird in the wild, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — is a mother again following the hatching of a chick on Feb. 1 at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

“From a scientific perspective, albatrosses are a critical indicator species for the world’s oceans that sustain millions of human beings as well,” refuge manager Robert Peyton said in a release. “In the case of Wisdom, she is breaking longevity records of previously banded birds by at least a decade. With over a million albatross on Midway Atoll alone, this shows just how much is left to learn about the natural world around us.”

The albatross, who was first tagged on Midway Atoll in 1956, has raised at least eight chicks in the last decade, and as many as 40 in her lifetime, according to monument officials.

Wisdom left her nest on Jan. 20 in search of food, leaving her mate to watch over the egg. She returned on Feb. 7, allowing her mate to take off to find food.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of albatrosses arrive on Midway in late November. In December 2015, volunteers counted 470,000 active nests across the atoll.

3 responses to “Albatross, 65, gives birth again on Midway”

  1. Tita Girl says:

    Amazing. Each year I look forward to hearing updates on Wisdom.

  2. HanabataDays says:

    Who wrote that headline? Birds don’t “give birth”. They lay eggs that hatch bumbye.

  3. serious says:

    I have been there many times in the military and to watch the Albatross first land after almost a year at sea is an experience never forgotten. They are used to the water parting as they touchdown but it takes them a few landings to realize that the land does not give way. They tumble and tumble. There are so many they nest around the runway and no manner of distraction can prevent them. The Navy has tried fireworks, relocating them–nothing works. The Navy did give up the atoll, not because of the Albatross but with the long range of jets today it’s no longer needed except in an emergency.

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