Tag: albatross

wisdom the laysan albatross is the world’s oldest confirmed wild bird and oldest banded bird. wisdom was born in 1951, and banded in 1956 for scientific study but returned to the wild. wisdom is well known for her mothering skills, even in old age – she recently raised another chick at the age of 67.

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these are photos of a lesbian laysan albatross pair. lesbian pairs in this species engage in the same behaviors heterosexual pairs do, such as preening, nesting together, and even raising chicks together. the albatrosses have been known to mate with males for the sole purpose of fertilization, having nothing to do with them after breeding, and raising the chick with the other female. laysan albatrosses have a high amount of same-sex pairs – an estimated 31% of the population.

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