George and Geraldine are back!

Geraldine on Sand Island, Midway Atoll in October 2024, photograph by Chris Forster

Everyone’s favourite couple, George and Geraldine, the sole breeding Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus pair on the USA’s Midway Atoll, have returned to Sand Island.

The Facebook page of the Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge has reported this month: “Chris Forster with Government Chugach Solutions sighted and then photographed Geraldine who appeared to be looking around to find her mate George but soon took off.  A few days later both Geraldine and her mate George were spotted by the wildlife cam”.

This will be the seventh breeding season for the famous pair, which to date has raised five chicks to fledging – some of which have been seen back on the atoll as juveniles, giving hope for more breeding pairs in time.

Access earlier articles in ACAP Latest News on previous breeding seasons from here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 23 October 2024