Meet our friends the Laysan albatross

The Laysan albatross, known as Mōlī in Hawaiian, are magnificent seabirds that range across the North Pacific. Though they mainly nest in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands on Midway Atoll and Laysan Island, we're fortunate to have a small colony on the bluff fronting our Noni orchards. 

Genuine Lovebirds
These magnificent seabirds are monogamous and pairs mate for life. Engaging in elaborate dances, they perform around twenty-four distinct moves that are intricately combined into a unique sequence for each couple.

Long lifespans
The oldest known banded bird in the wild is a female Laysan albatross named Wisdom. She nests on Midway Atoll, is at least 75 years old, and although she’s been sighted this season, her mate has not—so she's not laid an egg this year.

Experts in the air
Laysan albatross spend about 90% of their lives airborne and fly at speeds up to 50 miles per hour. They can stay airborne for days, navigating with half their brain while the other half sleeps.

Adorable Chicks
They hatch the cutest chicks! With your help we select a superstar each season and follow their journey from hatch to fledge. 

November 2025

The wait is finally over!

The second week of November, our first arrivals touched down on the bluff for the 2026 nesting season. On day one we spotted 2, then 5, then 8 and now 31. 

From mid-November through early December, our nesting pairs return after months of solitude at sea. We're expecting close to 80 and that's just from the known nesting pairs in our colony. We're also hopeful that a few of our widows will have found new love, and that some of our flirtatious Spring juveniles will have finally chosen their mates and return to nest for the very first time.

The males typically arrive first and patiently await their mates. This season three of our longtime Papa birds were first back, including the proud dad of our beloved superstars Geronima and Phyllis Diller. And for those who remember Curious Al—the infamous Papa who once undershot his landing and touched down outside the Noni office—we're happy to report that he made his grand return yesterday!

Let the magic of the season unfold

After spending months apart at sea, pairs reunite on the bluff with pure excitement. They spend their first hours renewing their bond, snuggling and gently preening one another. After mating, they part ways once more, each heading back out to sea to feed for about a week.

A Thanksgiving blessing

On Thanksgiving day we were blessed to discover our first 5 five nests of the season! Many more pairs have reunited and we are eager to see how many pairs nest this season. 

December 2025

Last year our colony set a record with 33 nests — and this season we’ve already surpassed it with 36, with a few more pairs still expected. Can we make it to 40?!

Nesting habits

Albatross are ground nesters with strong nest-site fidelity, often returning year after year to nest just feet from their previous site. The female arrives first from her feeding trip and shapes the nest with her beak and feet, creating a shallow depression and gathering pine needles to reinforce it.

When ready, she lays their single egg, about the size of a soda can, and settles in to incubate while awaiting her mate’s return from his feeding at sea.

Incubation duties

Within about a week of her laying their egg, the male returns, eager to see it and take over incubation duties. We always hope he comes back with a full belly, as his first shift typically lasts about a month. This exchange allows the female to return to sea to feed and replenish before coming back to relieve him.

Albatross incubation lasts approximately 60 days, with parents taking turns on long shifts on the nest. One parent is always present, keeping the egg warm and protected while their mate feeds. The parent on the nest will be fasting, relying on the food stored in their belly and sipping raindrops from passing showers. If all goes well, the first chicks are expected to hatch in late January.

January 2026

The holidays set us a little behind on updates, so let’s get caught up on Egg Adoption Day, our nest count, and the hatch outlook—our first chicks should start hatching in about three weeks!

Egg Adoption Day

Each December, a team of skilled biologists carefully candles every egg for fertility in the colony. 

Why are some eggs infertile?

In Laysan albatrosses, eggs are often infertile due to unsuccessful mating—common among first-time nesters or female-female pairs, which arise from a skewed gender ratio. In our colony, we have a handful of female-female pairs that almost certainly lay infertile eggs.

Where do these "extra" fertile eggs come from?

On Kauai’s west side, albatross nest near an active aircraft runway at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, posing a significant air traffic collision risk. USDA Wildlife Services biologists collect, incubate and on adoption day relocate fertile eggs from the military base to foster nests in protected colonies on the north shore of Kauaʻi.

We're grateful to our federal, state, and private partners for making this egg adoption program possible. This season, 31 of 37 nests in our colony had fertile eggs. Thanks to egg adoption, six pairs who would not have hatched a chick now have the chance to welcome one of their own.

A Special Visitor from Tern Island

Earlier this week, we spotted a bird in the colony with a rare (for our colony) yellow leg band—an immediate sign she was a visitor. We soon learned she was banded as a chick on Tern Island in 1996. Nearly 30 years old, she hasn’t been recorded by humans since 2011.

Tern Island, a critical habitat for seabirds, monk seals, and green sea turtles, is increasingly threatened by rapid erosion and rising sea levels. Many species will need to find new nesting grounds to survive. Could our visitor be scouting a future home? Only time will tell—but a high bluff with protected nesting areas and a thriving colony certainly makes a strong first impression.

Hatch Outlook

Our first chicks are expected to start hatching in just four days, January 27th marks 60 days of egg incubation for our first laid eggs. From the 37 nests this season, we're hopeful to see chicks hatch in 29. We did lose eight nests: one from first-time nesters whose egg broke halfway into incubation, and seven that were abandoned. Nest loss is a natural part of the season, though always a little disappointing. 

February 2026

Eggs are pipping and the chicks are hatching!

First there was one, then two, then three—and now 23 chicks have hatched! They’re adorable little balls of gray and white fluffy feathers, spending their first weeks tucked safely under Mom or Dad. And they sure need it as this week’s winter storm has brought strong winds and sideways rain to the bluff.

Ruffles had a baby!

Our 2017 Name That Chick star is nesting for the second time after losing his first egg last season. We're thrilled to share that Ruffles and his mate have successfully hatched their very first chick! 

Hatch party on the bluff is complete!

Out of 33 nests this season, we were hopeful for successful hatches in 29, and we’ve had an outstanding hatch rate with chicks hatching in 27 nests—setting another new hatch record for our colony!

March 2026

Nest life: The first two weeks

Parents take turns protecting their chick in the nest and foraging at sea for squid meals, to sustain themselves and be able to regurgitate up frequent meals to feed their chick.

These frequent meals help their chick grow rapidly in size and strength. By about 14 days old, their appetite becomes so large that both parents must head out to forage, leaving the chick alone in the nest.

By this age, chicks can also regulate their own body temperature, allowing them to handle the rainy, blustery conditions without the extra warmth of Mom and Dad. Chicks won’t begin foraging for their own meals until they fledge and embark on their life at sea in late July.

Watching for our superstars

Kai (2016) has been back on and off since late November, busy courting his lady friend who he's been cozy with for at least two seasons. We were surprised they didn't nest in November, fingers crossed for next year! Elvis (2018) and Geronima (2021) have both been spotted on the bluff a handful of times, back safe after another year at sea. And we know many of you are eagerly awaiting Spike (2019), named by eleven of you, to make his grand return. At seven years old, we truly hope this is his year. We're also watching for Hope (2020) and Lolita (2022) to make their first returns since fledging.

Party season is underway

The juvenile birds are finally back, fashionably late and ready to dance! March and April are peak “party season,” with dozens of our juvenile aged birds (4 to 7 year old's) gathering to socialize and flirt in search of their lifelong mate Their arrival brings welcome entertainment to the chicks, many of whom are weathering a tough pox season and could use the distraction.

Ugh, the dreaded pox

Avian pox is an unfortunately common virus in albatross chicks, spread by mosquitoes and more prevalent in wet, rainy seasons. It causes crusty, wart-like lesions on unfeathered areas like the bill, eyes, and feet.

This year’s rainy conditions brought earlier-than-usual cases, and for the first time we’ve seen chicks not survive—sadly, four have died. The good news is that the remaining 23 chicks should all recover well and develop strong immunity for the future. Those with severe pox are improving, a handful show no signs at all, and the rest have only mild lesions. 

April 2026

It's time to vote for your favorite!

We’re gearing up for our annual Name That Chick Contest! Help us choose which of this year’s adorable albatross chicks will be the star of the show. We've narrowed it down to the final four and need your votes!

Help us select the superstar by voting for your favorite on our Facebook page post click here

If you don't use Facebook and would love to vote, email us your vote to aloha@realnoni.com and Lola will make sure it gets counted.

*Please note: voting is not required and is only to help us select our superstar.

The votes are in—and we have a winner!

Chick C ran away with a landslide victory to be crowned this year's albatross chick superstar! A big mahalo to everyone who voted- soon it will be time to give this adorable fluffy star a name. 

Our first visitor from Mexico

It’s been a season of spotting birds with unusual band colors in the colony. During last weekend’s bluff check, another band really stood out, a bird with a bright orange leg band mingling with the singles. We soon learned it is our colony’s first known visitor from Guadalupe Island off Baja California! 

Banded as a chick in spring 2016, this traveler seems to be embracing the aloha way. It has been sighted several times since April 2024 at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, just a few miles up the coast from our bluff. For now, she/he appears to still be searching for the perfect place to settle down and nest. We hope our rambunctious singles crew made a grand welcoming impression and that our Mexican visitor decides to stay. It would be so neat to have an international nester amongst our colony. TBD!

May 2026

Curious little explorers

The chicks are now 12 to 14 weeks old and growing fast! Their black wing feathers and white chests are starting to peek through their soft gray fluff. Becoming more mobile and adventurous, most have moved just a few feet out of their hatch nests and proudly built new nests nearby.

When they're not napping, they practice a little “wing yoga,” stretching their growing wings, and take short waddle walks to stretch their legs. They explore their zones, picking up pine needles, tossing tiny sticks and feathers, watching the juvenile dance parties, and always keeping a close eye on every incoming albatross. Is it Mom or Dad arriving with their next meal?

June 2026

The chicks got their bling

Full grown albatross are virtually identical, so how do we know who is who within our colony? It all comes down to their leg bands, and last week all of the chicks received theirs.

Banding is carried out by the wonderful U.S. Fish and Wildlife team. The process is quick and the only time the birds are ever handled by humans. One biologist carefully picks up a chick and holds it securely against their chest while it faces outward, often kicking its legs in protest. A second biologist gently steadies each leg and fastens a metal federal band on the right leg and a larger auxiliary plastic band on the left. The whole process takes about 45 to 60 seconds, after which the chick is set back down looking understandably offended, as if to say, “um… excuse me?” before quickly returning to tossing pine needles and preening its feathers.

It is this colored auxiliary band ID that we record and use for identification, since it can be clearly seen through binoculars. These unique leg bands allow us to know who is who, track who survives their years at sea, and eventually see who returns to the colony to pair up and raise chicks of their own.

Name That Chick Contest Announcement

A huge mahalo to everyone who participated in this year's Name That Chick contest! We received just under 500 wonderful submissions for our superstar chick. Our family debate over the winning name was especially lively this year, hence the delayed announcement.

And the winner is... Cha Cha!

We loved the name Cha Cha, which brings to mind the playful energy, spirited rhythm, and joyful personality of the dance. It felt like the perfect fit for this year's superstar chick. As many of you know, albatross are famous for their elaborate courtship dances, and we hope our little Cha Cha will thrive at sea and return one day as an enthusiastic dancer in our colony.

Congratulations to Janet B. and Cecilia G., who both submitted the winning name! You'll each receive a Noni gift parcel, along with the honor of naming our 2026 superstar.

Mahalo again to everyone who submitted names and for your enthusiasm in following the albatross with us each season. 

Fledge season is upon us!

It's been an exciting month in the colony as fledge season has arrived and the chicks are taking flight one by one. As of July 28th, 18 of our 23 chicks have officially departed the bluff, launching into the greatest adventure of their lives.

For the next 4 to 7 years, these young albatross will call the North Pacific home, soaring across 12 million square miles between Hawaiʻi, Japan, and Alaska without touching land. Guided only by instinct, they'll eventually return to the very hillside where they hatched to begin socializing, dancing, and searching for a lifelong mate.

In the final weeks before fledging, the chicks prepare much like a superstar athlete before the biggest event of their life. Between naps, they meticulously preen every feather, stretch and strengthen their growing wings, then turn into the tradewinds where they sometimes catch just enough lift to hover for a brief moment before plopping back onto the bluff, ready to try again.

Then, one day, the moment arrives. There are no flying lessons, no parents leading the way, and no flock to follow. With one leap from the 200 foot bluff, each chick takes its very first flight completely on its own, soaring out over the vast Pacific Ocean and beginning a journey unlike any other.

Cha Cha Has Fledged!

Our superstar chick has officially taken flight! On July 23rd, at 5 months and 18 days old, Cha Cha leaped from the 200-foot bluff and disappeared over the Pacific, beginning the next chapter of her remarkable life.

It's hard to believe that just a few months ago she was a tiny ball of gray fluff, and now she's confidently soaring out into the world on her own. No more squid meal deliveries from Mom and Dad! For the first time in her life, Cha Cha must find and catch her own meals instead of waiting for them to be lovingly delivered.

We hope the ocean is kind, the squid are plentiful, and the winds carry you far and wide. Soar long, fly high, dear Cha Cha. We'll be eagerly awaiting the day you return home to dance on the bluff.

August 2026

Another record-breaking season!

Our last chick fledged on August 2 (the very same day as last year!), bringing the 2026 albatross nesting season to an official close. While this season brought its share of heartbreak and challenges, it was another record-breaking year for our colony.

We set new records for the highest number of nests and chicks hatched, and tied our all-time record for the most chicks fledged. The season began with 37 nests. Before hatching, we lost eight nests—seven were abandoned, and one first-time pair accidentally broke their egg. That left 29 eggs expected to hatch. In the end, 27 adorable chicks hatched, while two eggs never pipped.

Sadly, this was also one of the most severe avian pox seasons we've ever witnessed. Spread by mosquitoes, nearly all 27 chicks had varying intensities of infection and the disease claimed four chicks—the first time we've ever lost chicks to avian pox.

Despite those losses, 23 chicks successfully took flight, tying our record for the most fledglings in a season. Among them was this year's superstar, Cha Cha, now soaring somewhere over the vast North Pacific on the adventure of a lifetime.

Our nesting pairs

Out of the 37 pairs that nested this season, three were widowed birds that found new mates. We also welcomed four first-time nesting pairs. As is often the case, their first breeding season came with a steep learning curve—only one of these four pairs successfully fledged a chick, while the others experienced broken eggs, abandoned nests, or chicks that didn't survive due to inadequate feedings.

There was also a wonderful success story. Ruffles, our 2017 superstar chick, returned to nest for the second year in a row. After accidentally breaking his first egg last season, Ruffles and his mate had much better luck this year, successfully fledging their very first chick! Yay Ruffles!

Superstars of years past

Kai (2016) and Elvis (2018) were once again regulars at this year's singles parties, spending the season flirting, dancing, and searching for their lifelong mates. Kai has been making googly eyes at the same banded bird for two singles seasons now, so we're hopeful next season will be the year he finally nests.

Ruffles (2017) nested for the second year and successfully fledged his very first chick this year!

Geronima (2021) was spotted back on the bluff for the second consecutive season, socializing and working on those famous albatross dance moves.

We're still eagerly awaiting the return of Spike (2019), whose winning name was submitted by eleven of you. Hope (2020) and Lolita (2022) have yet to make an appearance, but we're optimistic that next spring will finally be their year.

The albatross nesting bluff will be quiet for two short months and then come early November the adult birds will return once again from life at sea and kick off nesting season 2027. Safe travels to Cha Cha and friends, we hope the winds are kind and the squid very plentiful! 

 

Thanks for reading! 💛 Leave us a comment and say hi—tell us what you're most excited to see this season, what you'd love to learn more about, or what photos you'd like us to share. We'd love to hear from you!

Comments or Questions below :)