© John Klavitter, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
A Laysan albatross named Wisdom, is at least 60 years old and was spotted in February 2011 raising a chick at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Islands. The bird has sported and worn out 5 bird bands since she was first banded by U.S. Geological Survey scientist Chandler Robbins in 1956 as she incubated an egg. Robbins estimated Wisdom to be at least 5 years old then since this is the earliest age at which these birds breed, though they more typically breed at 8 or 9 after an involved courtship lasting several years. This means, of course, that Wisdom is more likely to be in her early sixties.
A Laysan albatross at least six decades into her life has stumped federal biologists by raising another chick.
U.S. Geological Survey and Fish and Wildlife Service scientists said the chick turned up in a February survey at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Islands.
The bird, also known as Wisdom, "has sported and worn out 5 bird bands since she was first banded by USGS scientist Chandler Robbins in 1956 as she incubated an egg," says a statement.
"Just the idea of a bird 60 years old or more still bearing young is amazing," Bruce Peterjohn of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., told
USA Today.
Only one other wild bird is known to have lived to 61. Peterjohn said that Wisdom will tie that bird's record if she lives another year.
"Most Laysan albatrosses live to 30 or 40, just to make it to 60 is pretty incredible."
U.S. and Canadian scientists have banded about 64.5 million birds since 1920 and recovered bands from about 4.5 million of them.
