In a remarkable display of longevity and resilience, Wisdom, a Laysan albatross believed to be at least 74 years old, has returned to her nesting grounds and successfully hatched a new chick, cementing her status as the world’s oldest known wild bird. Her latest offspring, born on January 30, 2025, marks another triumph in a life that has defied all odds.

First banded by scientists in 1956 when she was already an adult, Wisdom has spent decades soaring over the Pacific Ocean, returning to the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge each year to nest. While a Laysan albatross typically lives for a maximum of 40 years, Wisdom has lived for at least 74 and raised an estimated 30 chicks in her lifetime. Her long-term mate of over 60 years, Akeakamai, went missing in 2021, and for two years, scientists wondered if Wisdom would be able to find a new partner.

However, in late November 2024, Wisdom was spotted on the atoll with a new mate, and she laid an egg. Biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were overjoyed when the chick hatched, a symbol of hope for the entire species. The veteran mother returned from foraging at sea to meet and feed her week-old chick for the first time on February 6, 2025.

Her story is more than just a record of age; it’s a testament to the incredible wisdom that comes with a long life in the wild. As a super-centenarian of the animal kingdom, Wisdom continues to provide invaluable data for scientists and a powerful reminder of nature’s extraordinary ability to endure and thrive.