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that killed an estimated 2,000 adult Laysan and black-footed albatrosses and an estimated 110,000 chicks at the Refuge. 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
185:
On
November 26, 2021, Wisdom was once again seen at the atoll. 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"). In December 2022, it was reported that Wisdom had been spotted on Midway
136:
The USGS has tracked Wisdom since she was first tagged and estimated that Wisdom has flown over 3,000,000 miles (4,800,000 km) 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.
357:
186:
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. This latest sighting means her estimated age is now 72 years old.
194:
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
182:(USFWS) Pacific Region reported that Wisdom had returned to the Midway Atoll and laid an egg, which hatched in February 2019. In December 2020, it was reported that Wisdom was again incubating an egg. The chick hatched on February 1, 2021.
155:
speculated that, due to Wisdom's unusual longevity, she may have had to find another mate in order to continue breeding. Biologists estimated that Wisdom has laid some 30–40 eggs in her lifetime and that she has at least 30–36 chicks.
206:, stated that Wisdom " now the oldest wild bird documented in the 90-year history of USGS-FWS and Canadian bird banding program. To know that she can still successfully raise young at age 60-plus, that is beyond words."
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121:. 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. The person to attach the first tag was
109:(USGS), she was still incubating eggs as late as 2020 and has received international media coverage in her lifetime. She was spotted alive and apparently healthy as recently as December 2023.
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Wisdom hatched and reared another chick in
December 2016 at the approximate age of 66. In December 2017, she bred again. In December 2018,
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535:"Seabird Losses at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Greatly Exceed Early Estimates | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service"
809:"Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels – Wisdom, the world's oldest known albatross, gets a grandchick"
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784:"Wisdom, the World's Oldest Known Wild Bird, Returns to Midway Atoll | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service"
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Wisdom hatched around 1951, and possibly earlier. In 1956, she was tagged by scientists as #Z333 at the
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611:"The World's Oldest Known Wild Bird Is About to Become a Mum at 67, Baffling Scientists"
695:"A Reason for Hope: Wisdom, world's oldest known, banded bird, returns to Midway Atoll"
458:"Wisdom the albatross, the world's oldest known wild bird, has another chick at age 70"
297:"Discoveries, Wonders, & Conservation Milestones in the Pacific Islands (2023)"
122:
94:
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227:
432:"Wisdom the Albatross, the World's Oldest Known Wild Bird, Has Yet Another Baby"
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Between 2005 and 2014, Wisdom laid eight eggs. She and her chick survived the
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947:
834:"Sharing Wisdom – World's Oldest Banded Bird Teaches Us About Power of One"
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102:
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666:"Wisdom the albatross, world's oldest wild bird, is a mother again at 68"
350:"Albatross named Wisdom astounds scientists by producing chick at age 62"
125:, who was a senior scientist at the USGS. Birds are banded so that their
316:"The world's oldest known wild bird just turned 70—why she's so special"
234:
33:
726:"World's oldest known, banded wild bird hatches chick at Midway Atoll"
757:"World's oldest known wild bird turns 70 and returns to Midway Atoll"
584:"Wisdom, the World's Oldest Known, Banded Wild Bird has a new chick"
724:
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service: Pacific Islands (5 February 2021).
167:
on
November 22. The egg was estimated to be the 36th she had laid.
238:. In January 2020, Wisdom was featured in episode 3, "Hawaii", of
891:"Albatross astonishes scientists by producing chick at age of 62"
239:
209:
Wisdom has received coverage from many major news sources in the
44:
755:
Islands, U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service: Pacific (2021-12-15).
980:
196:
97:, the oldest confirmed wild bird in the world and the oldest
158:
She has successfully hatched a chick every year since 2006.
279:"Wisdom The Albatross, Now 70, Hatches Yet Another Chick"
948:"BBC Two – Earth's Tropical Islands, Series 1, Hawaii"
409:"Wisdom the Laysan Albatross Lays an Egg – at Age 63"
313:
857:
855:
993:
101:bird in the world. First tagged in the 1950s at
699:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Pacific Islands
80:World's oldest known wild bird; world's oldest
919:
852:
637:"World's Oldest Wild Bird Returns to Midway!"
314:Steutermann Rogers, Kim (February 26, 2021).
174:Wisdom (left) with her mate Akeakamai in 2015
922:"Oldest Known Wild Bird Hatches Chick at 62"
836:. United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
586:. Pacific United States Fish and Wildlife.
561:"Wisdom the albatross lays yet another egg"
145:Albatrosses lay one egg per year, and have
19:"z333" redirects here. For other uses, see
32:
864:"Albatross Mom 'Wisdom' Tsunami Survivor"
575:
506:"Oldest Known Wild Bird Survives Tsunami"
129:and individuals' longevity, behavior and
38:Wisdom with one of her chicks, March 2011
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180:United States Fish and Wildlife Service
16:Oldest confirmed wild bird in the world
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924:. National Geographic. Archived from
920:Dell'Amore, Christine (21 Feb 2013).
901:from the original on 22 November 2017
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840:from the original on 28 February 2017
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119:Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
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736:from the original on 5 February 2021
705:from the original on 4 December 2020
617:from the original on 11 January 2018
590:from the original on 29 January 2018
870:from the original on 7 January 2015
761:Conservation in the Pacific Islands
477:"The oldest living things on Earth"
204:North American Bird Banding Program
13:
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609:Starr, Michelle (8 January 2018).
326:from the original on March 5, 2021
164:2011 TĹŤhoku earthquake and tsunami
71: 1951 (age 72–73)
14:
1028:
973:
438:from the original on 5 March 2021
360:from the original on 14 July 2017
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301:U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
277:Chappell, Bill (March 5, 2021).
958:from the original on 2020-01-04
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676:from the original on 2019-09-30
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647:from the original on 2018-12-05
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582:Richards, Holly (16 Feb 2017).
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516:from the original on 2017-01-07
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487:from the original on 2020-01-09
475:Stenger, Richard (2019-11-28).
390:from the original on 2021-01-07
107:United States Geological Survey
468:
450:
430:Schultz, Colin (14 Feb 2014).
372:
307:
289:
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202:Bruce Peterjohn, chief of the
1:
889:Fears, Darryl (12 Feb 2013).
832:Fortin, Amanda (3 Dec 2014).
263:
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559:Thomas, Pete (17 Dec 2014).
348:Fears, Darryl (5 Feb 2013).
140:
127:populations can be monitored
7:
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10:
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862:Wall, Tim (10 Mar 2011).
380:"Bird Banding Laboratory"
213:and elsewhere, including
189:
76:
63:
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43:
31:
670:South China Morning Post
258:List of individual birds
245:Earth's Tropical Islands
93:(Z333) is a wild female
175:
173:
21:Z333 (disambiguation)
988:at Wikimedia Commons
641:USFWS Pacific Region
199:and other islands."
1012:Individual seabirds
701:. 3 December 2020.
320:National Geographic
303:. January 18, 2024.
222:National Geographic
28:
1002:1951 animal births
986:Wisdom (albatross)
866:. Discovery News.
176:
131:migration patterns
26:
984:Media related to
613:. Science Alert.
88:
87:
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149:mates for life.
133:can be studied.
123:Chandler Robbins
95:Laysan albatross
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50:Laysan albatross
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510:All About Birds
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434:. Smithsonian.
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974:External links
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672:. 2019-02-13.
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512:. 2011-04-15.
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960:. Retrieved
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930:. Retrieved
926:the original
915:
903:. Retrieved
895:The Guardian
894:
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872:. Retrieved
842:. Retrieved
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816:. Retrieved
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792:. Retrieved
790:. 2022-12-09
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543:. Retrieved
541:. 2022-02-19
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518:. Retrieved
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489:. Retrieved
480:
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462:the Guardian
461:
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440:. Retrieved
425:
413:. Retrieved
403:
392:. Retrieved
384:www.usgs.gov
383:
374:
362:. Retrieved
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328:. Retrieved
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216:The Guardian
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1007:Albatrosses
932:29 December
905:29 December
874:29 December
844:29 December
813:www.acap.aq
594:10 December
567:29 December
442:18 December
415:18 December
364:29 December
152:Smithsonian
996:Categories
962:2020-01-03
818:2022-12-14
794:2022-12-14
766:2021-12-18
740:6 February
730:Medium.com
709:5 December
680:2019-09-30
651:2018-12-05
621:11 January
563:. Grind TV
545:2023-10-20
520:2018-12-05
491:2020-01-09
481:CNN Travel
394:2021-03-05
264:References
235:60 Minutes
147:monogamous
141:Fertility
956:Archived
899:Archived
868:Archived
838:Archived
734:Archived
703:Archived
674:Archived
645:Archived
615:Archived
588:Archived
514:Archived
485:Archived
436:Archived
388:Archived
358:Archived
330:March 5,
324:Archived
252:See also
788:FWS.gov
539:FWS.gov
240:BBC Two
113:Banding
105:by the
64:Hatched
45:Species
197:Laysan
190:Impact
103:Midway
99:banded
91:Wisdom
82:banded
59:Female
27:Wisdom
411:. NBC
934:2014
907:2014
876:2014
846:2014
742:2021
711:2020
623:2018
596:2017
569:2014
444:2014
417:2014
366:2014
332:2021
232:and
84:bird
952:BBC
283:NPR
242:'s
56:Sex
998::
954:.
950:.
897:.
893:.
854:^
811:.
786:.
775:^
759:.
732:.
728:.
697:.
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340:^
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225:,
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68:c.
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