The Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the United States is celebrating as it’s favourite and the world’s oldest known wild bird Wisdom is expecting. Yes, the biologists at the wildlife have confirmed that she is brooding with her long-time lover, Akeakamai. The 68-year-old Laysan albatross has returned to her home at the Midway wildlife refuge for yet another winter and laid yet another egg for the 37th time now, although it is impossible to know the precise number. But she has single-wingedly altered scientists’ understanding of albatross lifespans and their age limits. World's Most Beautiful Bird Mandarin Duck Graces New York City's Central Park.
Ever since 2006, Wisdom would make an annual visit to her mate at the Wildlife Refuge and hatched an egg every year. She was first banded by American ornithologist, Chandler Robbins in 1956, when she was already an adult. At the time Wisdom was no special but just one of the hundreds of thousands of seabirds who would return to their birthplace. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that it was Robbins who “rediscovered” Wisdom 46 years later during a survey near the same nesting location. It was the banded number on her hand, which confirmed that it was Wisdom. The ‘Rio’ Bird Blue Macaw Parrot, Among 8 Other Species, is Now Officially Extinct, Study Confirms.
Wisdom Has a New Chick on the Way
Every year conservationists on Midway Atoll patiently await the hopeful return of Wisdom the Laysan Albatross and her mate, Akeakamai. Finally the time has come, and they have one new chick on the way. #Conservation #Seabirds https://t.co/8tsiaoQh2u pic.twitter.com/f5fx3sZL6r
— Island Conservation (@NoExtinctions) December 8, 2018
Midway during nesting season is an overwhelming experience to many biologists. Every year Laysan albatross breed in large colonies, returning to the place that they were born. They look for a mate when they are about 5-year-old, before they reach adulthood. The birds would raise one chick a year, and they even perform an incredible courtship dance. Wisdom is the oldest one among all of them who continues to be a symbol of animal resilience and looks so beautiful. Hope to see her in the headlines on her nice 69th birthday.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 08, 2018 05:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).