Biologists on Midway Island recently discovered Wisdom, a female Laysan albatross over 70 years old, courting potential mates even after the nesting season had ended. This world’s oldest wild bird has been flying around the North Pacific for decades and was first identified in 1956. Wisdom’s longtime partner, Akeakamai, has been missing for two nesting seasons, prompting her to seek new companionship.
Laysan albatrosses are known for their long lifespan and monogamous mating habits. They mate for life with one partner and usually lay eggs in December. Despite her age, Wisdom is still actively participating in mating dances and courting other birds on Midway Atoll, where she was photographed last month. Midway Atoll is home to the world’s largest population of Laysan albatrosses, with hundreds of thousands of breeding pairs returning each year.
Wisdom has flown an estimated 5.6 million kilometers in her lifetime, equivalent to seven round-trip flights to the Moon. She has laid approximately 60 eggs in her lifetime, with about half hatching into chicks. Between nesting seasons, Wisdom spends a significant amount of time at sea, flying across the Pacific Ocean to feed on squid, fish, and crustaceans.
Despite her advanced age, Wisdom is still quite agile and continues to captivate biologists with her enduring vitality. Her story serves as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of nature, as she navigates the challenges of finding a new partner and continuing her legacy in the vast expanse of the Pacific sky.