World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird Lays Egg At Age 74
ForbesDec 05
World's Oldest Wild Bird Lays Egg at 74
story
Above: A nesting pair of Laysan Albatross, popularly known as "Gooney Birds," on Midway Atoll. Image copyright: Larry Armstrong/Contributor/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The Facts
Wisdom — a 74-year-old Laysan albatross and the world's oldest known wild bird — has laid her first egg in four years at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii.
First banded as an adult in 1956, Wisdom has produced an estimated 60 eggs and successfully raised around 30 chicks throughout her lifetime, far exceeding the typical Laysan albatross lifespan of 68 years.
The Spin
Narrative A
While inspirational, Wisdom's advanced age may be an anomaly given the species' future. Laysan albatrosses face increasing threats from climate change, sea-level rise, and human disturbance of breeding colonies, with the species currently listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.
Narrative B
Wisdom's extraordinary longevity and continued breeding success are actually a beacon of hope for seabird conservation, particularly as she has survived numerous real-world environmental challenges — including widespread plastic pollution that has killed many other albatrosses in the region. The resilience of this amazing seabird speaks volumes.
