Ancient Albatross Wisdom Lays Egg at an Incredible 74 Years Old

Wisdom, the world's oldest known wild bird, lays an egg at the age of 74 at Midway Atoll, showcasing the resilience of her species and captivating global attention.

The world's oldest known wild bird, Wisdom, has astonished biologists by laying an egg at approximately 74 years old. The remarkable Laysan albatross was spotted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Ocean, where she has been seen with her new partner tending to the egg.

Typically, Laysan albatrosses have a lifespan of just 12 to 40 years, but Wisdom has prevailed since being tagged in 1956 at around five years old. Her most recent offspring hatched in 2021, marking over 30 chicks in her lifetime. This year, USFWS reported that she has a new mate; her previous partner, Akeakamai, has been absent for several years. Although usually mating for life, Wisdom has already outlived at least three partners.

Jon Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at the refuge, shared with BBC Radio 4's Today program that Wisdom is among the two to three million Laysan albatrosses that migrate to Midway to breed. To this date, there are no documented cases of birds her age, with the next oldest recorded at 45.

"It's really been remarkable," Plissner stated. "Wisdom seems to pique the interest of people across the world. We wait each year with bated breath for her return." Experts believe Wisdom still possesses the energy and instincts necessary to raise another chick, estimating a hatching probability of 70-80%. Albatross pairs typically share incubation and feeding responsibilities.

Wisdom, identified and tagged after laying her first egg in 1956, serves as an inspiring symbol of resilience within her species, which doesn’t usually breed before reaching five years old. Midway Atoll, part of the Hawaiian archipelago but classified as an unincorporated U.S. territory, holds the world’s largest colony of albatrosses.