After finding a new mate, the Laysan albatross named Wisdom continues to lay a new egg at Midway Atoll, increasing her number of chicks.
At the age of 74, Wisdom the Laysan albatross is the oldest known wild bird in the world. However, she remains busy reproducing by laying another egg this year at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii, Forbes reported. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced Wisdom’s new egg on social media on December 3.
Wisdom and her mate with the new egg. (Photo: USFWS).
Laysan albatrosses typically lay one egg each breeding season. This migratory seabird arrives at Midway Atoll in the fall to breed, usually around the Thanksgiving holiday. Biologists banded Wisdom in 1956, allowing the agency to track her for a long period. Her age is approximate, but she was banded after laying an egg, and Laysan albatrosses do not breed until they are at least 5 years old. She bears the band number “Z333” on her leg. USFWS experts estimate that Wisdom has laid about 60 eggs and has successfully raised approximately 30 fledglings.
The new egg is Wisdom’s first in four years. Wisdom’s long-term mate, Akeakamai, disappeared a few years ago. Wisdom has found a new partner, marking a significant change in her decades-long relationship with Akeakamai. Her new mate is also banded. Mated pairs typically reunite each year to share parenting duties. Biologist Jon Plissner at Midway Atoll and his colleagues are optimistic that the egg will hatch.
More than one million albatrosses use Midway Atoll as a nesting and chick-rearing site. They typically feed on squid, fish, and crustaceans, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Laysan albatrosses have faced numerous challenges over the years, including pollution, threats from invasive species, collisions with structures and aircraft, and human disturbances at breeding sites. Climate change is also a risk. Nesting populations on low-lying atolls are vulnerable to rising sea levels, storms, and wave events linked to climate change. The Laysan albatross is listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. IUCN estimates their population to be around 1.6 million mature individuals, with Wisdom being the most famous.
If the egg hatches, Wisdom and her mate will spend several months caring for the chick. This species typically incubates eggs for about two months. If the egg hatches in early 2025, the chick will grow and be ready for independence by July of that year.
