At the age of at least 74, Wisdom the albatross is showing that for many, motherhood simply never ends.
Three things to know:
- The Laysan albatross was first banded (or marked) in Hawaii in 1956. Meaning, she could be even older than the current estimate of 74.
- She's been at motherhood for quite some time; Wisdom has likely produced 50 to 60 eggs, and brought as many as 30 chicks to the fledgling state, NPR's Bill Chappell reported.
- But it still feels like a marvel to watch her keep at it; after laying her latest egg in December, she was captured returning to her nest last week on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge to tend to her young chick.
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❤️😍💞 Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird, returned to her nest on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge last week to care for her new chick!
— USFWS Pacific (@USFWSPacific) February 13, 2025
At an age of at least 74, the queen of seabirds is estimated to have produced 50-60 eggs and as many as 30 chicks that fledged.⤵️ pic.twitter.com/8WQaXXrnQH
Is this normal?
Back in December, Jon Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told NPR of the unlikely odds for a bird like Wisdom.
"Of the more than 250,000 birds banded since [biologist] Chandler Robbins banded Wisdom in 1956, the next oldest bird we know about currently is just 52 years old," Plissner said.
Some of Wisdom's eggs have gone missing, and in 2011, she survived a deadly tsunami. She's also survived the threats of plastic debris and fishing nets, and has flown millions of miles over the open sea to migrate and most importantly, care for her babies.
Dive deeper with NPR
- For more on Wisdom's life journey, read Chappell's full story here.
- Listen to NPR's Short Wave podcast for more discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines.
Copyright 2025 NPR
