MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE – The world’s oldest known wild bird is a mama again! “Wisdom,” the Laysan albatross, is at least 74 years old. She was recently spotted taking care of her new chick at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. The chick hatched on January 30, 2025.
Wisdom’s mate was tending to the chick while Wisdom was out feeding. Now, Wisdom is back to care for her baby. Laysan albatross pairs, which typically pair for life, take turns caring for their offspring and feeding.
“The Queen of Seabirds” is believed to have fledged as many as 30 chicks over her lifetime. Wisdom was first tagged all the way back in 1956 at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll).
Laysan albatross can have a wingspan of 6 feet, allowing them to cover vast distances from the Hawaiian Islands to Alaska to Japan. It’s estimated that Wisdom has flown 3 million miles over the course of her life.
Related: World’s Oldest Bird Lays Another Egg
NATIONAL PARK NEWS
