birdsoup

The world’s oldest known living bird is a female Layson Albatross, know as Wisdom. Wisdom was banded by on a Pacific island by a U.S. Geological Survey researcher in 1956. She was breeding at the time. And since albatross do not breed until they are at least 5 years old. That means Wisdom is at least 62 years old.

That is a ripe old age especially when you consider that most backyard birds do not reach their 10th birthday.

Albatross are birds of the open ocean spending time on isolate islands in the Pacific only to breed. The rest of the year they are flying the oceans. Satellite tracking reveals that they might circle the complete globe (that takes about 2 months). They are very efficient flyers using winds and air current to do most of the work. Studies have shown that they can soar for six days without flapping their wings.

At 62, Wisdom has seen a lot of the world’s ocean. But the most significant accomplishment is breeding. This year on Midway Atoll she laid a single egg and hatched a new chick. At 62!