The Laysan Albatross
also known as Moli in Hawaiian, is a remarkable flyer. It can glide hundreds of miles per day without having to lift a single feather. The Laysan breeding colony in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is the reason this albatross species was named. This is a very common species of seabird in this remote region of the world. It makes for life.
The Laysan, like the Blackfoot or Short-tailed Albatross, takes a while to mature. It only begins to breed around three to four years old. Bluebird Meaning However, successful breeding is usually achieved at eight to nine years. This species is very long-lived. Laysan Albatross is one of the oldest wild birds that has been confirmed.
Worldly Wisdom
The oldest known wild Laysan Albatross is Wisdom, a wild female Laysan Albatross. Wisdom is also the oldest known bird to have been banded on the planet. Chandler Robbins (an influential ornithologist, and senior scientist at USGS) first banded her at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in 1956. Wisdom was at least 70 years of age when she was first tagged.
Scientists at the USGS estimate that Wisdom has flown more than 3 million miles since 1956, which is approximately 120 laps around Earth. Amazing albatross Wisdom has hatched 30-40 eggs and raised the same amount of chicks over her life. Since 2006, she has successfully hatched a chick every single year. She was most recent to do so in 2021.
Wandering Widely
Laysan Albatrosses are found primarily on Midway Atoll, Laysan Island, and the Hawaiian archipelago. A few nest in Japan. This albatross species began to nest on Mexico’s west coast islands in the 1980s. Their range extends for thousands of miles.
The Laysan Albatross roams the Pacific Ocean during winter. It can be found from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea, all the way across to the Pacific Ocean. Birds spend almost half of their year at sea. They only come to land to breed.
Genuine “Lovebirds.”
Laysan Albatrosses form pair bonds around the age of three to four years. Pairs mate for life like other large birds such as the Trumpeter Swan or Whooping Crane. However, a bird can replace a lost partner. Laysan Albatross couples can reunite on the same breeding grounds every year, even if they are separated during winter. This is usually done by late fall.
The Laysan Albatross, like many other seabirds such as the Atlantic Puffin or Royal Tern, is a colonial nester. The number of colonies can reach thousands. Midway Atoll’s largest colony numbers more than 600,000 breeding pairs. This is 70% of the species’ global population.
Surface Feeder
Laysan Albatross eats small squid and flying fish eggs while floating on the sea’s surface. It can also be found in the refuse and carrion, and it will often follow fishing boats, sometimes to fatal effect (see conservation section).
Continuing Conservation Challenges
Plastic pollution poses a growing threat to the Laysan Albatross as well as other seabirds on remote islands where they breed. Plastics are often picked up by Albatrosses while foraging. Grey German Shepherd This could be because they mistake plastic items for food, or because they accidentally pick up plastics when capturing prey. Some albatrosses may even ingest plastics while feeding their chicks.