World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird Lays Egg At Age 74

Wisdom the Laysan albatross is a special bird. At age 74, she’s the oldest known wild bird. But age is just a number. Wisdom isn’t kicking back in retirement. She’s still busy with family matters. Wisdom laid a new egg this year at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii.

Wisdom’s egg announcement came via the United States Fish & Wildlife Service on social media on Dec. 3. USFWS led with the triumphant statement, “She did it again!” in a post on X. Laysan albatross only lay one egg per breeding season.

Laysan albatross are migratory seabirds. Wisdom and her compatriots come to Midway Atoll in the fall to breed, typically arriving around Thanksgiving. Biologists banded Wisdom in 1956, which is how the forest service has been able to track her for so long. Her age is approximate, but she was banded after laying an egg and her species doesn’t breed until at least age 5. She sports the designation “Z333” on her leg. USFWS experts estimate she has produced around 60 eggs and as many as 30 chicks that have fledged.

The egg is Wisdom’s first in four years. She had a long-time mate named Akeakamai who disappeared several years ago. Wisdom found a new mate, marking a big change from her decades-long relationship with Akeakamai. The new mate now sports a band, too. A video shared by the USFWS shows Wisdom and her beau interacting. Paired birds typically reunite each year and share the duties of raising the kids.

The egg is a “special joy,” Midway Atoll supervisory wildlife biologist Jon Plissner said. Plissner and the Midway Atoll staff are optimistic the egg will hatch.

Wisdom is in good company as part of a large colony. Well over a millions albatross use Midway Atoll as a place to hatch and raise their young. The birds typically feast on squid, fish and crustaceans, according to Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The birds have faced challenges over the years, including pollution, threats from invasive species, collisions with structures and airplanes, and human disturbance of breeding colonies. Climate change is also a danger. “Nesting colonies on low-lying atolls are vulnerable to sea level rise, and increased storms and wave events associated with climate change,” the department said.

ForbesMushroom Growing On Live Frog Surprises ResearchersBy Amanda Kooser

The Laysan albatross is listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. That’s a step away from “vulnerable,” which is a step away from “endangered.” The IUCN estimates a population of 1.6 million mature individuals, of which Wisdom is the most famous.

Wisdom and her mate have months of family duties ahead of them if the egg hatches. The parents incubate the egg for a couple of months, so it will be early 2025 before the results of Wisdom’s efforts are known. Chicks are typically grown and ready to strike out on their own by July.

Wisdom’s story is a remarkable one. She’s worn out multiple bands during her long life. She continues to extend the known lifespan for wild birds. Wisdom is catching up to domesticated birds, too. The Guinness World Record for the oldest bird belongs to a cockatoo named Cookie that made it to the impressive age of 82. Wisdom’s return to Midway Atoll is a cause for celebration. The bonus of a new egg makes it even more special this year.