Released: 2/4/2013 4:33:23 PM
Editors: Pictures of Wisdom’s chick
available online
MIDWAY ATOLL — A Laysan albatross
known as "Wisdom" – believed to be at least 62 years old – has
hatched a chick on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge for the sixth
consecutive year.
During the morning hours on Sunday, the
chick was observed pipping its way into the world by U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service biologist Pete Leary, who said the chick appears healthy. Wisdom was
first banded in 1956, when she was incubating an egg in the same area of the
refuge. She was at least five years old at the time.
"Everyone continues to be inspired by
Wisdom as a symbol of hope for her species," said Doug Staller, the Fish
and Wildlife Service superintendent for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National
Monument (Monument), which includes Midway Atoll NWR.
Staff and volunteers stationed on Midway are
responsible for monitoring the health of the beautiful seabirds that arrive
every year by the hundreds of thousands to nest. Upon the seabirds' arrival,
field staff monitor them and gather information for one of the longest and
oldest continuous survey data sets for tropical seabirds in the world.
Wisdom has worn out five bird bands since she
was first banded by U.S. Geological Survey scientist Chandler Robbins in 1956.
Robbins estimated Wisdom to be at least 5 years old at the time, since this is
the earliest age at which these birds breed. Typically, they breed at 8 or 9
years of age after a very involved courtship lasting over several years so
Wisdom could be even older than 62.
Bruce Peterjohn, chief of the North American
Bird Banding Program at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel,
MD, said Wisdom has likely raised at least 30 to 35 chicks during her breeding
life, though the number may well be higher because experienced parents tend to
be better parents than younger breeders. Albatross lay only one egg a year, but
it takes much of a year to incubate and raise the chick. After consecutive
years in which they have successfully raised and fledged a chick, the parents
may take the occasional next year off from parenting. Wisdom is known to have
nested in 2006 and then every year since 2008.
"As Wisdom rewrites the record books, she
provides new insights into the remarkable biology of seabirds," Peterjohn
said. "It is beyond words to describe the amazing accomplishments of this
wonderful bird and how she demonstrates the value of bird banding to better
understand the world around us. If she were human, she would be eligible for
Medicare in a couple years yet she is still regularly raising young and
annually circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean. Simply incredible."
Sue Schulmeister, manager of the Midway Atoll
NWR, said, "Wisdom is one is one of those incredible seabirds that has
provided the world valuable information about the longevity of these beautiful
creatures and reinforces the importance of breeding adults in the population.
This information helps us measure the health of our oceans that sustain
albatross."
Almost as amazing as being a parent at 62 is the
number of miles this bird has likely logged – about 50,000 miles a year as an
adult – which means that Wisdom has flown at least 2 to 3 million miles since
she was first banded. Or, to put it another way, that's 4 to 6 trips from the
Earth to the Moon and back again with plenty of miles to spare.
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