The Oldest Wild U.S. Bird: Still Alive and Kicking, and a New Mom, at 60

  • Share
  • Read Later

Last month, an albatross showed up in the middle of nowhere near Hawaii. She was raising a chick she had just hatched – proving that motherhood never stops, even when you’re 60 years old. (via Ecocentric)

The albatross named Wisdom, aside from being the oldest known living wild bird in the U.S., has raised approximately 30 to 35 birds during her life. That’s impressive, especially considering that albatrosses lay one egg per year, and take another year to raise their babies.

“She looks great,” said Bruce Peterjohn of the North American Bird Banding Program said in a press release. “To know that she can still successfully raise young at age 60-plus, that is beyond words.” When she was first identified in 1956, she was already estimated to be five years old. And yet, fifty-five years later, Wisdom is still spreading the wealth of knowledge on to her young’ns.

Read more at Ecocentric.