Wisdom, the world’s oldest wild bird, hatches another chick at 74

The Wisdom albatross, the world's oldest wild bird, gave birth to another chick at the age of 74: their average lifespan is around 68 years

Deep in the Pacific Ocean, on the Midway Atoll, a record-breaking event has captured the imagination of wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers. Wisdom, a Laysan albatross that holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest wild bird, has laid yet another chick at the incredible age of 74, proving to be a paragon of endurance and strength.

Wisdom’s life has fascinated researchers since she was first seen and banded in 1956. She had already produced an egg by then, which helped researchers estimate her age—Laysan albatrosses start breeding no younger than five years old.

Over the course of her protracted lifespan, Wisdom has laid between 50 and 60 eggs and produced a maximum of 30 fledged offspring successfully. This is nothing short of miraculous, considering that the average life expectancy of her species is around 68 years.

The passing of an old mate

For decades, Wisdom was bred to the same male, Akeakamai, and she shared the intricate nesting rituals of her species. In recent decades, however, her longtime mate has not been seen, and scientists believe he died. Despite this loss, Wisdom has not given up searching for a mate. Last year, she was observed engaging in courtship rituals with potential new suitors, and from one of these, her latest chick was hatched.

Albatrosses follow a strict nesting schedule. Yearly, they return to their breeding grounds—often the same spot—to nest and incubate their young. True to her word, Wisdom returned to Midway Atoll, 1,300 miles (2,100 km) northwest of Honolulu, to care for her newly hatched chick.

A faithful mother

After incubating her egg for weeks, Wisdom now takes turns with her mate in feeding and protecting the chick. When one of them remains behind at the nest, the other ventures out for long foraging trips to hunt squid, fish, and crustaceans.

Wisdom had a short break in early February, leaving her chick to her mate. On 7 February, she was seen tenderly tending to her gray and white fluffy chick once again, demonstrating once again her extraordinary motherliness.