Wisdom (albatross)

In 1956, Wisdom was tagged by scientists as #Z333 at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. When she was banded in 1956, she was conservatively estimated to be five years old—the earliest age that the Laysan albatross reaches sexual maturity—corresponding to a hatching date of the 1950-51 breeding season at the very latest.{{cite web |date=27 November 2024 |title=Wisdom returns to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge bringing more Thanksgiving joy to the Midway Atoll staff who celebrate witnessing Wisdom reaching at least 74 years old this coming winter. |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1020472453447549 |access-date=28 November 2024 |website=Facebook |publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service}}{{cite web |last1=Vicente |first1=Ivan |title=World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird Turns 70 and Returns to Midway Atoll |url=https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-turns-70-and-returns-to-midway-atoll-23e95f7232e6 |website=Conservation in the Pacific Islands |publisher=United States Fish and Wildlife Service |access-date=29 November 2024 |language=en |date=15 December 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Steutermann Rogers|first=Kim|date=February 26, 2021|title=The world's oldest known wild bird just turned 70—why she's so special|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/worlds-oldest-bird-just-turned-70-why-so-special|url-status=live|website=National Geographic|access-date=March 5, 2021|archive-date=March 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305074840/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/worlds-oldest-bird-just-turned-70-why-so-special}} The person to attach the first tag was Chandler Robbins, who was a senior scientist at the USGS. Birds are banded so that their populations can be monitored and individuals' longevity, behavior and migration patterns can be studied.{{Cite web|title=Bird Banding Laboratory|url=https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/bird-banding-laboratory?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects|access-date=2021-03-05|website=www.usgs.gov|language=en|archive-date=2021-01-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107214425/https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/bird-banding-laboratory?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects|url-status=live}}

in 2006, John Klavitter, a United States Fish and Wildlife Service biologist at Midway, gave Wisdom her name while he was replacing her band.{{cite web |last1=Passarello |first1=Elena |title=Seventy Never Looked So Good: The Long, Wondrous Life of Wisdom the Albatross |url=https://www.audubon.org/magazine/spring-2021/seventy-never-looked-so-good-long-wondrous-life |website=Audubon.org |publisher=Audubon |access-date=3 February 2025}}

The USGS has tracked Wisdom since she was first tagged and estimated that Wisdom has flown over {{convert|3,000,000|mi}} since 1956 (approximately 120 times the circumference of the Earth). To accommodate her longevity, the USGS has replaced her tag a total of six times.{{cite news|last1=Fears|first1=Darryl|title=Albatross named Wisdom astounds scientists by producing chick at age 62|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/albatross-named-wisdom-astounds-scientists-by-giving-birth-at-age-62/2013/02/05/f46a68a6-6fc5-11e2-8b8d-e0b59a1b8e2a_story.html|access-date=29 December 2014|newspaper=Washington Post|date=5 Feb 2013|archive-date=14 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714102323/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/albatross-named-wisdom-astounds-scientists-by-giving-birth-at-age-62/2013/02/05/f46a68a6-6fc5-11e2-8b8d-e0b59a1b8e2a_story.html|url-status=live}}

Albatrosses lay one egg per year, and usually have monogamous mates for life.{{cite news|title=Wisdom the Laysan Albatross Lays an Egg – at Age 63|publisher=NBC|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/wisdom-laysan-albatross-lays-egg-age-63-n270341|access-date=18 December 2014}} Smithsonian speculated that, due to Wisdom's unusual longevity, she has had to find several successive mates in order to continue breeding.{{cite news|last1=Schultz|first1=Colin|date=14 Feb 2014|title=Wisdom the Albatross, the World's Oldest Known Wild Bird, Has Yet Another Baby|publisher=Smithsonian|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wisdom-albatross-worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-has-yet-another-baby-180949757/?no-ist|url-status=live|access-date=18 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305183039/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wisdom-albatross-worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-has-yet-another-baby-180949757/?no-ist|archive-date=5 March 2021}}{{Cite news |last=Ruberg |first=Sara |date=2024-12-06 |title=World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird Lays an Egg at 74 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/science/wisdom-albatross-bird-egg.html |access-date=2024-12-09 |work=The New York Times}} Biologists estimated that Wisdom has laid some 30–40 eggs in her lifetime and that she has at least 30–36 chicks.{{Cite web|date=March 5, 2021|title=Wisdom the albatross, the world's oldest known wild bird, has another chick at age 70|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/05/wisdom-the-albatross-the-worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-has-another-chick-at-age-70|website=the Guardian}}

Between 2005 and 2014, Wisdom laid eight eggs.{{Cite web|last=Stenger|first=Richard|date=2019-11-28|title=The oldest living things on Earth|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/oldest-living-things/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109113322/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/oldest-living-things/index.html|archive-date=2020-01-09|access-date=2020-01-09|website=CNN Travel|language=en}} She and her chick survived the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that killed an estimated 2,000 adult Laysan and black-footed albatrosses and an estimated 110,000 chicks at the Refuge.{{Cite web|date=2011-04-15|title=Oldest Known Wild Bird Survives Tsunami|url=https://www.allaboutbirds.org/oldest-known-wild-bird-survives-tsunami/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107095951/https://www.allaboutbirds.org/oldest-known-wild-bird-survives-tsunami/|archive-date=2017-01-07|access-date=2018-12-05|website=All About Birds|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-02-19 |title=Seabird Losses at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Greatly Exceed Early Estimates {{!}} U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |url=https://www.fws.gov/story/2011-03/seabird-losses-midway-atoll-national-wildlife-refuge-greatly-exceed-early-estimates |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=FWS.gov |language=en}} On December 3, 2014, Wisdom made headlines when she laid an egg at Midway Atoll. Her mate had arrived at the atoll on November 19, and Wisdom was first spotted by the Refuge staff on November 22.{{cite news|last1=Thomas|first1=Pete|date=17 Dec 2014|title=Wisdom the albatross lays yet another egg|publisher=Grind TV|url=http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/wisdom-albatross-lays-yet-another-egg/|access-date=29 December 2014}} The egg was estimated to be the 36th she had laid.

File:USFWS WisdomReturns11.21.2015 Photo by Kiah Walker-USFWS (23201478771).jpg

Wisdom hatched and reared another chick in December 2016 at the approximate age of 66. In December 2017, she bred again.{{cite news|last1=Richards|first1=Holly|title=Wisdom, the World's Oldest Known, Banded Wild Bird has a new chick|url=http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/157320110000/wisdom-the-worlds-oldest-known-banded-wild-bird|access-date=10 December 2017|publisher=Pacific United States Fish and Wildlife|date=16 Feb 2017|archive-date=29 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129202534/http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/157320110000/wisdom-the-worlds-oldest-known-banded-wild-bird|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Starr|first1=Michelle|title=The World's Oldest Known Wild Bird Is About to Become a Mum at 67, Baffling Scientists|url=https://www.sciencealert.com/laysan-albatross-laid-egg-67-wisdom-oldest-known-wild-bird|access-date=11 January 2018|publisher=Science Alert|date=8 January 2018|archive-date=11 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111102852/http://www.sciencealert.com/laysan-albatross-laid-egg-67-wisdom-oldest-known-wild-bird|url-status=live}} In December 2018, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pacific Region reported that Wisdom had returned to the Midway Atoll and laid an egg,{{Cite web|url=http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/180809288495/worlds-oldest-wild-bird-returns-to-midway|title=World's Oldest Wild Bird Returns to Midway!|website=USFWS Pacific Region|language=en|access-date=2018-12-05|archive-date=2018-12-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205232319/http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/180809288495/worlds-oldest-wild-bird-returns-to-midway|url-status=live}} which hatched in February 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2185904/wisdom-albatross-worlds-oldest-wild-bird-mother|title=Wisdom the albatross, world's oldest wild bird, is a mother again at 68|date=2019-02-13|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|access-date=2019-09-30|archive-date=2019-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930163614/https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2185904/wisdom-albatross-worlds-oldest-wild-bird-mother|url-status=live}} In December 2020, it was reported that Wisdom was again incubating an egg.{{cite news| title= A Reason for Hope: Wisdom, world's oldest known, banded bird, returns to Midway Atoll| url= https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/a-reason-for-hope-wisdom-worlds-oldest-known-banded-bird-returns-to-midway-atoll-d69faa9df3b8| date= 3 December 2020| access-date= 5 December 2020| website= U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Pacific Islands| archive-date= 4 December 2020| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201204132009/https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/a-reason-for-hope-wisdom-worlds-oldest-known-banded-bird-returns-to-midway-atoll-d69faa9df3b8| url-status= live}} The chick hatched on February 1, 2021.{{cite web | author= U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Pacific Islands | title= World's oldest known, banded wild bird hatches chick at Midway Atoll | url= https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/worlds-oldest-known-banded-wild-bird-hatches-chick-at-midway-atoll-2708a0b3f2c0 | website= Medium.com | date= 5 February 2021 | access-date= 6 February 2021 | archive-date= 5 February 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210205204155/https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/worlds-oldest-known-banded-wild-bird-hatches-chick-at-midway-atoll-2708a0b3f2c0 | url-status= live }}

On November 26, 2021, Wisdom was once again seen at the atoll.{{Cite web|last=Islands|first=U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Pacific|date=2021-12-15|title=World's oldest known wild bird turns 70 and returns to Midway Atoll|url=https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-turns-70-and-returns-to-midway-atoll-23e95f7232e6|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Conservation in the Pacific Islands|language=en}} Her long-time mate, Akeakamai, did not return, and she did not breed that season. However, her chick from 2011 had a chick of its own (making Wisdom "a granny").{{Cite web |date=2022-12-09 |title=Wisdom, the World's Oldest Known Wild Bird, Returns to Midway Atoll {{!}} U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |url=https://www.fws.gov/story/2022-12/wisdom-worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-returns-midway-atoll |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=FWS.gov |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels – Wisdom, the world's oldest known albatross, gets a grandchick |url=https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/4283-wisdom-the-world-s-oldest-known-albatross-gets-a-grandchick |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=www.acap.aq}} In December 2022, it was reported that Wisdom had been spotted on Midway Atoll in the new season, but Akeakamai was still missing. On 4 December 2023, the USFWS reported that Wisdom had once again returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.

Wisdom continued to be spotted at Midway Atoll into 2024, being photographed there in March; at that time, Ann Bell of Friends of Midway Atoll noted that it seemed "highly unlikely" that Wisdom would be able to find another mate.{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Ann |title=Wisdom’s Photo Shoot March 18, 2024 by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Volunteer Nick Minnich! |url=https://friendsofmidway.org/wisdoms-photo-shot-march-18-2024-by-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service-volunteer-nick-minnich/ |website=Friends of Midway Atoll |date=19 March 2024}} However, in November 2024, Wisdom was again spotted at Midway, with a new mate and having laid an egg,{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Ann |title=Wisdom was sighted near her usual nest site on Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) on November 26, 2024. Her new mate is now incubating their egg! |url=https://friendsofmidway.org/wisdom-was-sighted-near-her-usual-nest-site-on-kuaihelani-midway-atoll-on-november-25-2024-the-next-day-she-lays-an-egg/ |website=Friends of Midway Atoll |access-date=29 November 2024 |date=28 November 2024}} being the oldest known bird to do so, at an age of at least 73.{{cite web |title=World’s oldest-known wild bird lays egg in Hawaii at age 74 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/06/worlds-oldest-known-wild-bird-lays-egg-wisdom-albatross |website=The Guardian |access-date=8 December 2024}} A chick hatched on January 30, 2025.{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Ann |date=February 12, 2025 |title=Wisdom Prevails! |url=https://friendsofmidway.org/wisdom-prevails/ |access-date=February 18, 2025 |website=friendsofmidway.org}}

The USFWS stated, "Wisdom's continued contribution to the fragile albatross population is remarkable and important. Her health and dedication have led to the birth of other healthy offspring which will help recover albatross populations on Laysan and other islands."{{cite news|last1=Fortin|first1=Amanda|title=Sharing Wisdom – World's Oldest Banded Bird Teaches Us About Power of One|url=http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/37132842813/sharing-wisdom-worlds-oldest-banded-bird|access-date=29 December 2014|publisher=United States Fish and Wildlife Service|date=3 Dec 2014|archive-date=28 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228202549/http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/37132842813/sharing-wisdom-worlds-oldest-banded-bird|url-status=live}}

Bruce Peterjohn, chief of the North American Bird Banding Program, stated that Wisdom "[was] now the oldest wild bird documented in the 90-year history of [the] USGS-FWS and Canadian bird banding program. To know that she can still successfully raise young at age 60-plus, that is beyond words."

Wisdom has received coverage from many major news sources in the United States and elsewhere, including The Guardian,{{cite news|last1=Fears|first1=Darryl|title=Albatross astonishes scientists by producing chick at age of 62|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/albatross-aged-62-hatches-chick|access-date=29 December 2014|work=The Guardian|date=12 Feb 2013|archive-date=22 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122202640/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/albatross-aged-62-hatches-chick|url-status=live}} National Geographic,{{cite news|last1=Dell'Amore|first1=Christine|title=Oldest Known Wild Bird Hatches Chick at 62|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/130221-birds-albatrosses-oldest-wisdom-midway-science-animals/|access-date=29 December 2014|publisher=National Geographic|date=21 Feb 2013|archive-date=20 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320222918/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/130221-birds-albatrosses-oldest-wisdom-midway-science-animals/|url-status=dead}} Discovery News,{{cite news|last1=Wall|first1=Tim|title=Albatross Mom 'Wisdom' Tsunami Survivor|url=http://news.discovery.com/animals/the-rime-of-the-ancient-albatross-110310.htm|access-date=29 December 2014|publisher=Discovery News|date=10 Mar 2011|archive-date=7 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107093351/http://news.discovery.com/animals/the-rime-of-the-ancient-albatross-110310.htm|url-status=live}} 60 Minutes,{{Cite web |last=McCandless Farmer |first=Brit |date=2018-12-16 |title=Meet "Wisdom," the Laysan Albatross that's the oldest-known bird in the wild |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-wisdom-the-oldest-known-bird-laysan-albatross-in-the-wild-60-minutes/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=60 Minutes - CBS News |language=en-US}} and The New York Times. In January 2020, Wisdom was featured in episode 3, "Hawaii", of BBC Two's Earth's Tropical Islands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cs1p|title=BBC Two – Earth's Tropical Islands, Series 1, Hawaii|website=BBC|access-date=2020-01-03|archive-date=2020-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104025154/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cs1p|url-status=live}}

• List of individual birds

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Category:1951 animal births

Category:Albatrosses

Category:Individual seabirds