It's December, and the Moli are breeding at Ka'ena Point. The name moli may come from the use of their bones as tattooing needles. Photo: Jeanne Lindgren
Coinciding with the start of the Makahiki season is the arrival of two welcome part-time residents to the Hawaiian Islands: the Humpback Whales, and the ever-amazing Moli. On the wing for the remainder of the year, the Laysan albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis, touches down on various islands in the Hawaiian archipelago for the serious business of raising babies. Breeding occurs mainly on the NWHI, with some breeding colonies on Kaua'i, O'ahu, and on Lehua Island off of Ni'ihau. With less than an estimated 100 breeding pairs on the MHI, I knew it was time to have a trek out to Ka'ena Point to see these accomplished flyers off the wing, settling down for their domestic duties. And I wasn't disappointed. Shortly after entering the gated area where the birds are protected from predators, I spotted my first Moli trying to find a comfortable position on the nest, a simple scrape under the shade of some low beach shrub. Next thing you know, I spotted another, and another.
 Off the wing, the Moli has an awkward gait, earning it the nickname Goony bird. Photo: By DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) via Wikimedia Commons |  Wingspans can exceed six feet. Photo: By DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) |  The less dignified look of the fledgling. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Most of the birds I saw were alone, but there were a few pairs, and the pair pictured above would occasionally clack their bills. Moli engage in elaborate and vociferous courtship dances, and are known to be faithful to both mate and nesting site. Both the males and females participate in the incubation of only a single egg (unusual for birds) which is laid in November or December; the hatchling expected to make it's welcomed appearance about 65 days later in late January or early February, with fledging occurring five or six months later. Dedicated parents take turns making long foraging trips to feed their single but ever-hungry offspring, scanning the ocean surface by night for fish, squid, fish eggs (malolo eggs are a favorite) and crustaceans, then returning to the nest with an oily mix that they regurgitate for the baby moli. Once they have grown large enough to fledge, they won't return to land until for three years, when they will begin their search for a mate; breeding won't occur until they are about nine years.
Moli live long lives, and while some accounts have their life span at 40 years, others report 50 years. One moli who breeds on Midway atoll, known as Wisdom, was banded in 1956, and was thought to be five years old at the time of banding. That would put her 62 years of age - the oldest known living wild bird. Just last February she and her mate successfully hatched baby Wisdom. Many happy returns Wisdom.
*** Update: Dec. 2014: From the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:
"Wisdom, the world’s oldest living, banded, wild bird has returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge! Wisdom’s mate has been waiting within a few feet of the pair’s former nest site since November 19. Wisdom was first spotted on November 22. This isn’t the first time these two have readied their nest. Laysan albatrosses mate for life and Wisdom has raised between 30 to 35 chicks since being banded in 1956 at an estimated age of 5. Laying only one egg per year, a breeding albatross will spend a tiring 365 days incubating and raising a chick." For more on this remarkable story, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2014/12/2/The-Return-of-Wisdom
Moli live long lives, and while some accounts have their life span at 40 years, others report 50 years. One moli who breeds on Midway atoll, known as Wisdom, was banded in 1956, and was thought to be five years old at the time of banding. That would put her 62 years of age - the oldest known living wild bird. Just last February she and her mate successfully hatched baby Wisdom. Many happy returns Wisdom.
*** Update: Dec. 2014: From the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:
"Wisdom, the world’s oldest living, banded, wild bird has returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge! Wisdom’s mate has been waiting within a few feet of the pair’s former nest site since November 19. Wisdom was first spotted on November 22. This isn’t the first time these two have readied their nest. Laysan albatrosses mate for life and Wisdom has raised between 30 to 35 chicks since being banded in 1956 at an estimated age of 5. Laying only one egg per year, a breeding albatross will spend a tiring 365 days incubating and raising a chick." For more on this remarkable story, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2014/12/2/The-Return-of-Wisdom
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