This is Bernou.

Isla Guadalupe off the western coast of Mexico

is famous for its massive colonies of petrels,

sheer waters and laced albatrosses.

Now, conservationists hope, it will host black-footed albatrosses too, like Bruno.

In 2021, Bruno was one of a dozen black-footed albatross chicks from from Hawaii's Midway

Atoll to Mexico.

The move was part of a larger effort to establish a new black-footed albatross colony on Islauadalupe

as rising seas threatened their native breeding grounds. On Isla Guadalupe as rising seas threaten their native breeding grounds.

On Isla Guadalupe, a research team led by marine ecologist Julio Hernandez fed the cheeks by hand

and placed decoys that looked like parents to help them learn to be birds.

Once Bruno and the other black-footed albatrosses were old enough to fledge, they soared

out to sea with the native Laysen juveniles.

When they started returning to the colony two years later, the black-footed albatrosses

were...

Could be awkward.

Some tried to woo a laced mate, but their courtship dances were incompatible.

And though Bruno socialized happily

with others of his species, he didn't feel the spark with any of the eligible ladies until

La Guerra, Julio says. Bruno's leg band is number five, and La Guerra is number four. She'd been his

nest neighbor in Hawaii and his crate mate on the flight to Mexico.

Turns out, Bruno had been holding out for the girl next door.

...