News: Seabirds

[Alison]

Laysan Albatross Wisdom and the man who banded her 60 years ago, Chandler "Chan" Robbins



For two living legends, 2016 is a celebratory year: the 60th anniversary of Wisdom the Laysan Albatross getting her first leg band by Chandler “Chan” Robbins, who turned 98 on July 17.

Robbins worked for 73 years at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, creating the annual North American Breeding Bird Survey and coauthoring the Golden Guide—Birds of North America—with over 6 million copies sold. Wisdom is the oldest banded bird in the wild. On February 1 she hatched what is estimated to be her 40th chick on her historic home ground at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, located in the farthest reaches of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Wisdom’s spectacular survival record includes having flown the estimated equivalent of six round-trips to the moon (an albatross spends 90 percent of its lifetime in flight); having survived two tsunamis; and, having avoided fishing longlines with baited hooks.

How does Wisdom do it? Robbins, who has made 10 trips to Midway over the past six decades, thinks the elder albatross has learned how to avoid the dangers facing seabirds and has a lot to teach us humans, too.

More at the link:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/qa-chan-robbins-talks-about-wisdom-the-worlds-oldest-banded-bird/

Two remarkable lives intertwined. May they both have many more years to come.

[Alison]

Craigleith, Scotland

Found this little guy on one of the Scottish Seabird Centre webcams today:

 

https://seabird.org/wildlife/webcams/craigleith-cliff/12/28/63

[Alison]

SHE'S BAAAAAACK

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Federal wildlife officials say the world's oldest known seabird has returned to Midway Atoll.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday the Laysan Albatross named Wisdom was spotted at the remote island on Nov. 19


Check out the full story at - https://shar.es/1cGa8O

Wisdom's chick hatched on February 1, 2016. The chick was given the name "Kukini", a Hawaiian word meaning "messenger".

Wisdom's mate has now also been given a name. He has been named "Akeakamai" (pronounced "Ah Kee Ah Ka Maee"), which means "seeker of wisdom" or "lover of wisdom".

Kukini hatching (left) and Wisdom with Kukini (right):

 

Wisdom is now at least 65 years old, and Kukini is at least her fortieth chick.

What an incredible albatross Wisdom is!

[The Peregrine Chick]

SHE'S BAAAAAACK

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Federal wildlife officials say the world's oldest known seabird has returned to Midway Atoll.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday the Laysan Albatross named Wisdom was spotted at the remote island on Nov. 19


Check out the full story at - https://shar.es/1cGa8O

[The Peregrine Chick]

They lay only one egg per season That makes it harder for the species to recover, as it would take a minimum of two seasons just to maintain the population, plus probably a couple more to take into account juvenile mortality.

Not unlike Emperor Penguins and most if not all of the albatrosses ... even raptors, how often is there just one chick in a bald eagle nest.  And while peregrines might have more eggs, with the level of mortality in the first year, the result isn't much better.  Predators always reproduce at a lower rate, though coyotes may be a bit of an exception ...

[dupre501]

They lay only one egg per season That makes it harder for the species to recover, as it would take a minimum of two seasons just to maintain the population, plus probably a couple more to take into account juvenile mortality.

[irenekl]

Had never heard of these birds.  Very interesting.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Pregnant Mascarene petrel shows off ginormous egg bump as she soars over open seas
The Guardian (UK), 4 Sept 2014

An endangered seabird and one scientists know very little about
Nice article and great photos