Animals Oldest known wild bird still lays an egg at the age of 74
An albatross has laid an egg on Midway Atoll near the US state of Hawaii at the age of 74. "We are optimistic" that a chick will hatch from the egg, said Jonathan Plissner, wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll Wildlife Refuge.
07.12.2024, 05:54
07.12.2024, 05:55
SDA
The female bird, named Wisdom, has been hatching offspring with her long-term partner for decades and has laid an estimated 50 eggs in her lifetime, according to a post by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on Facebook.
Laysan Albatrosses, to which Wisdom belongs, are considered to be monogamous. Wisdom is one of millions of the giant seabirds that come to Midway Atoll each year to nest.
New partner
However, Wisdom's partner has not been seen for years and Wisdom has recently started flirting with other males, the report added. This year she laid an egg and her new partner is helping her to hatch it, the wildlife experts explained. Photos and videos of the two birds were published on Facebook.
According to the post, Wisdom was ringed when she laid her first egg in the wildlife area in 1956. She must have been at least five years old at the time, as Laysan Albatrosses only become sexually mature at this point. According to this count, she will be at least 74 years old at the end of the month and is the oldest known bird in the world.
