text: No quit in this one. She's a new mother once again, seen above with her chick. 
   
   An albatross more than 60 years old the oldest known wild bird in the United States survived the tsunami that struck its Pacific Island home after the major earthquake in Japan. 
   
   The bird, a Laysan albatross called Wisdom by wildlife biologists, recently became a mother once again. Both the mother and her newly hatched chick were spotted alive about a week after the tsunami generated by Japan's 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck Sand Island, one of the islands that make up Midway Atoll, Reuters reported. [See the damage caused to Midway .] 
   
   The Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the North Pacific Ocean is famous for its Laysan albatross population. Midway lies near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian Islands, about a third of the way between Honolulu and Tokyo. The atoll is an unincorporated territory of the United States. 
   
   Midway was struck by 5-foot (1.5-meter) waves after the quake struck. The tsunami killed an estimated 2,000 adult albatrosses and about 110,000 chicks in the wildlife refuge. 
   
   "It's a dangerous world out there, there's lots going on, so I would say she's very lucky," Barry Stieglitz, project leader for the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex of the Fish and Wildlife Service, told Reuters. 
   
   Wisdom was first banded in 1956 as she incubated an egg, and she was estimated to be at least 5 years old then. U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials estimate that 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. 
   
   Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) spend half the year at sea and return to land only to breed, according to the National Audubon Society. ||||| NEWS RELEASE -8% IMM=5IA*= %=L=A7= -ebr!ary 3, /01. 
   
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   Wisdom hatches a healthy chick at 63 years old on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge 
   
   (Midway Atoll, HI) A Laysan albatross known as “Wisdom” – at least 63 years old – is once a ain b!sy rearin a c"ick on Midway Atoll #ational Wildli$e %e$! e wit"in t"e &a'a"(na!mok!(kea Marine #ational Mon!ment) *"e newly "atc"ed c"ick was $irst by +isitor ser+ices mana er, Ann ,ell, bein cared $or by Wisdom t"e mornin o$ -ebr!ary ., /01.) Wisdom is a $emale albatross $irst banded as an ad!lt in 1236) “As t"e world4s oldest known bird in t"e wild, Wisdom is an iconic symbol o$ ins'iration and "o'e $or all seabird s'ecies)” said 5an 6lark, re$! e mana er $or Midway Atoll #ational Wildli$e %e$! e) “7"e 'ro+ides to t"e world +al!able in$ormation abo!t t"e lon e+ity o$ t"ese bea!ti$!l creat!res) In t"e case o$ Wisdom, s"e "as lo ed literally millions o$ miles o+er t"e &aci$ic 8cean in "er li$etime to $ind eno! " $is" e s and s9!id to $eed "ersel$ and m!lti'le c"icks, allowin !s t"e o''ort!nity to meas!re t"e "ealt" o$ o!r oceans w"ic" s!stain albatross as well as o!rsel+es)” “Her ability to contin!e to "atc" c"icks d!rin t"e last "al$ cent!ry is beyond im'ressi+e des'ite t"e t"reats t"at albatross $ace at sea)” said re$! e biolo ist &ete Leary) “It is a 'oi nant and o+erw"elmin reality t"at 'lastics discarded at sea $loat, $rom toot"br!s"es to millions o$ bottle ca's, $loat and, are !sed as a s!bstrate $or $lyin $is" to attac" t"eir e s, a $ood "i "ly 'ri:ed by $ora in albatross and !ltimately re !r itated into t"e c"ick4s mo!t",” said Leary) “In addition, t"e c"ick4s sole s!r+i+al is com'letely de'endent on t"e "ealt" o$ Wisdom and "er li$e;lon mate and t"eir d!al ability to 'ro+ide $or $ood and 'rotection)” Albatrosses arri+e on Midway Atoll %e$! e by t"e "!ndreds o$ t"o!sands to nest eac" year) %e$! e sta$$ and +ol!nteers are res'onsible $or monitorin t"e "ealt" o$ t"ese e<traordinary, bea!ti$!l ocean liders) A$ter s'endin $i+e mont"s at sea moltin and $eedin , albatross ret!rn to t"e same nestin site on Midway Atoll %e$! e) 8nce t"ey mate, an albatross 'air will immediately be in to cra$t a st!rdy nest) I$ t"ey s!ccess$!lly inc!bate t"e e and a c"ick "atc"es, eac" 'arent takes t!rns broodin t"eir c"ick, !ntil it can be le$t on its own, w"en t"ey bot" will t"en $ora e $or t"e c"ick4s meals o+er t"e ne<t si< mont"s) Wisdom "as likely raised at least 30 to 33 c"icks d!rin "er breedin li$e, t"o! " t"e n!mber may well be "i "er beca!se e<'erienced 'arents tend to be better 'arents t"an yo!n er breeders) 
   
   Albatross lay only one e a year, b!t it takes m!c" o$ a year to inc!bate and raise t"e c"ick) A$ter se+eral consec!ti+e years in w"ic" t"ey "a+e s!ccess$!lly raised and $led ed a c"ick, t"e 'arents may take t"e occasional year o$$ $rom 'arentin ) About Albatross Albatross once nested t"ro! "o!t all t"e islands in t"e Hawaiian arc"i'ela o) Its ancestral Hawaiian name moli, means a bone tattoo needle w"ic" was made $rom t"e bone o$ an albatross) Albatross are remarkable $liers w"o tra+el t"o!sands o$ miles on wind c!rrents wit"o!t e+er $la''in t"eir win s) *"ey do t"is by an lin t"eir si< $oot win s'an to adA!st $or wind c!rrents and +aryin air s'eeds abo+e t"e water) Almost as ama:in as bein a 'arent at 63 is t"e n!mber o$ miles Wisdom "as likely lo ed – abo!t 30,000 miles a year as an ad!lt – w"ic" means t"at Wisdom "as $lown at least two million to t"ree million miles since s"e was $irst banded) #ineteen o$ /1 s'ecies o$ albatross are t"reatened wit" e<tinction, accordin to t"e International Bnion $or t"e 6onser+ation o$ #at!re) In t"e #ort"ern "emis'"ere one "i "ly +isible t"reat is marine debris, w"ic" is in ested by ad!lts and $ed to t"eir c"icks, 'ossibly leadin to lower $led in wei "ts and inA!ries to t"eir di esti+e tract) ,ased on a recent analysis, $i+e tons o$ 'lastic obAects are bro! "t to Midway %e$! e eac" year by albatross in t"e co!rse o$ $eedin t"eir yo!n ) 8t"er t"reats incl!de e<'os!re to contaminants, s!c" as lead;based 'aint c!rrently bein abated on Midway %e$! eC lon line $is"in , w"ere t"e birds are inad+ertently "ooked and drowned (t"o! " conser+ation ro!'s "a+e banded wit" $is"ermen and dramatically lowered t"e n!mber o$ deat"s $rom t"is ca!se)C and in+asi+e s'ecies on islands w"ere rats, do s and wild cats e<ist 'rey on e s, c"icks and nestin ad!lts) 8ne o$ t"e reatest t"reats to t"e lon term s!r+i+al o$ Laysan albatross and black;$ooted albatross, w"ose 'rimary nestin sites are t"e low islands o$ &a'a"(na!mok!(kea Mon!ment is t"e loss o$ nestin "abitat d!e to sea le+el rise) -or more in$ormation on Midway Atoll #ational Wildli$e %e$! e and t"e ,attle o$ Midway #ational Memorial o toD "tt'DEEwww)$ws) o+EmidwayE) &"otos and *!mblr o$ Wisdom are a+ailable at "tt'DEE$lic)krEsEaHsA=b't6" and "tt'DEE!s$ws'aci$ic)t!mblr)comE'ostEF3F//6/..1/Et"e; $irst;$amily;'"oto;wisdom;and;"er;newest;c"ick The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov apah!naumoku!kea is cooperativel" managed to ensure ecological integrit" and achieve strong, long#term protection and perpetuation of $orthwestern %awaiian &sland ecos"stems, $ative 
   
   %awaiian culture, and heritage resources for current and future generations. Three co#trustees # the 'epartment of (ommerce, 'epartment of the &nterior, and State of %awai)i # *oined b" the +ffice of %awaiian Affairs, protect this special place. apah!naumoku!kea ,arine $ational ,onument was inscribed as the first mixed -natural and cultural. U$/S(+ World %eritage Site in the United States in 0ul" 1232. For more information, please visit www.papahanaumokuakea.gov ||||| Birds of Midway Atoll 
   
   Laysan Albatross / Phoebastria immutabilis 
   
   Description White head, neck, and underbody. Black mantle and upperwings. Underwings have black margins and irregular streaks on converts. Dark eye patch. Bill varies from gray to yellow with darker tip; pink legs/feet. Length: 79-81cm (31.6-32.4 in); wingspan: 195-203 cm (6.4-6.7 ft); average life span: 12-40 yrs. Laysan Albatross and chick 
   
   Photo credit: Robert Shallenberger 
   
   Midway Population 
   
   Seventy-one percent of the world's population nests on Midway. In January 2008, 452,609 breeding pairs of Laysan Albatross were nesting on all three islands of Midway Atoll (Sand: 274,043; Eastern: 176,561; and Spit: 2,005). 
   
   Feeding Habits 
   
   Primarily nocturnal feeders. Laysans are surface feeders. Therefore feed on anything that floats on the surface of the water; squid, fish, crustaceans and flying fish eggs. Unfortunately, this inludes marine debris as well; with an estimated 5 tons of plastic being accidently fed to chicks each year. Laysans usually stay at least 20 to 30 kilometers offshore during the nonbreeding months (July - October). During these months Laysans are distributed throughout the northwestern and northeastern range of the Pacific. 
   
   Breeding 
   
   Monogamous. If one of the mates should die, they will most likely create a new pair bond. Nests are made up of surrounding grasses, dirt or shrubbery and are piled into large mounds that form a nest cup. Laying begins in mid-November. One egg is laid and incubation lasts about 65 days. Incubation starts with the female who usually stays for a short 2-day span. The male then takes over for as long as three weeks. During the month of December the number of incubating males outnumber that of incubating females 15:1. If the egg is infertile or breaks during incubation, re-laying will not occur that year. 
   
   Chicks hatch during late January to mid-February. Chicks live off a diet of flying fish eggs and squid oil, a product that is rich in fat. Both parents will feed the chick by regurgitation and will often leave them for several days while they obtain food out at sea. The rich squid and stomach oil is filled with fatty acids and nutrients that can sustain a chick for the number of days between feedings. Fledging occurs 5-6 months after hatching (mid-June through late July). Parents will often leave before the chicks have reached their full juvenile plumage. 
   
   Subadults return to their natal nesting colony after spending 3 - 5 years at sea. Elaborate courtship dances take place throughout the colony while these young birds search for a mate. Mating and first nesting usually occurs by age 6-8.
target: – Wisdom the Laysan albatross is "at least" 63 years old, experts say, making her the oldest known wild bird on the planet. And, amazingly, she's still hatching chicks. Last week, a worker at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge—Wisdom's home in the north Pacific—saw the mother caring for a new chick, according to a press release. And it's a feat she's managed for each of the past seven years, LiveScience notes. For comparison, most Laysan albatrosses live between 12 and 40 years, per the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Wisdom first came to the attention of researchers while incubating an egg ... in 1956. She was tagged then, and has likely raised no fewer than 30 chicks in her lifetime. Wisdom's "ability to continue to hatch chicks during the last half century is beyond impressive" given "the threats that albatross face at sea," says a biologist. Chief among those threats: tsunamis. Battered by five-foot waves in the wake of Japan's 2011 earthquake, some 2,000 adult albatrosses on Midway's islands were estimated to have died; Wisdom obviously survived. And she's racked up many such feats, says the refuge manager. Among them: She's "logged literally millions of miles over the Pacific Ocean in her lifetime to find enough fish eggs and squid to feed herself and multiple chicks." (We noted last year that the second-oldest albatross known to hatch a chick was 61.)