World’s Oldest Albatross Hatches Another Chick at Midway

Wisdom grooming her new chick. PC: B. Peyton/USFWS

The world’s oldest known breeding bird, a 67-year-old albatross named Wisdom, hatched another chick on Feb. 6, 2018. Wisdom and her mate Akeakami welcomed their newest chick to Midway Atoll approximately two months after incubating her egg.

Wisdom has successfully raised at least 30 to 36 albatross chicks over the course of her life. US Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge staff members say that since 2006, Wisdom has successfully raised and fledged at least nine chicks and traveled millions of miles in her lifetime.

Since Laysan albatross don’t lay eggs every year and raise only one chick at a time, officials say the contribution of one bird to the population makes a huge difference. Wisdom’s recent addition has expanded her albatross family and contributes to the continued health of the Laysan albatross population overall.

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument has over three million seabirds that return each year to rest, mate, lay eggs, and raise their chicks.

“Laysan albatross and other seabirds depend on the habitat protected by Midway Atoll and other remote Pacific wildlife refuges,” said Bob Peyton, US Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Manager for Midway Atoll Refuge and Memorial.

Albatrosses and other seabirds return to the same nesting site each year. A single egg is laid and incubated for a little over two months. After the chick hatches, it will still be another five months before it will leave the nest. In that time, Wisdom and her mate Akeakamai, like all albatross parents, take turns incubating the egg or caring for the chick while the other forages for food at sea.

“Midway Atoll’s habitat doesn’t just contain millions of birds, it contains countless generations and families of albatrosses,” said Kelly Goodale, US Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Biologist. “If you can imagine when Wisdom returns home she is likely surrounded by what were once her chicks and potentially their chicks. What a family reunion.”

The refuge is home to the largest albatross colony in the world and is the most important and successful breeding colony for black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) and Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis).

Globally significant as a critical nesting habitat for seabirds, Midway is home to 36% of all black-footed albatross and 73% of all Laysan albatross, as well as the endangered short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus).

Officials say albatross start to arrive from sea to breed in late October and by the end of November nearly every available nesting space on Midway Atoll is claimed by a breeding pair.

“Albatross invest an enormous amount of resources to raise their chicks” said Peyton. “Albatrosses and other seabirds choose Midway as their home because it’s a safe place. Thanks to the hard work of staff and volunteers, we are restoring the native habitat that the birds need for nesting sites, ensuring a future for these seabirds.”