Guam Kingfisher Flies Free for First Time in Over 40 Years After Being Declared Extinct in the Wild

In one of the most remarkable conservation comebacks in recent memory, the sihek — the Guam kingfisher — is once again flying free in the wild after more than 40 years of existing only in captivity. The vibrant turquoise-and-rust colored bird, endemic to the Pacific island of Guam, was declared extinct in the wild in the early 1980s after the invasive brown tree snake devastated the island's native bird populations.

The last 29 wild sihek were captured between 1984 and 1986 in a desperate bid to save the species through captive breeding. For decades, the entire population of these stunning birds existed solely in zoos and breeding facilities across the United States, their survival dependent entirely on human intervention.

“The vibrant turquoise-and-rust colored bird, endemic to the Pacific island of Guam, was declared extinct in the wild in the early 1980s after the invasive brown tree snake devastated the island's native bird populations.”

Now, through years of careful planning and collaboration between conservation organizations, a small population of captive-bred sihek has been released on a predator-free island in the Pacific. The results have been encouraging: the birds have not only survived but thrived, establishing territories, foraging naturally, and — most critically — laying eggs.

The egg-laying milestone is particularly significant because it demonstrates that captive-bred birds can successfully transition to wild behavior, including the complex courtship and nesting rituals necessary for natural reproduction. If the eggs hatch successfully, it will mark the first wild-born sihek in over four decades.

The brown tree snake, accidentally introduced to Guam after World War II, wiped out nearly all of the island's native forest birds. Ten of Guam's twelve original bird species were eliminated from the wild by the invasive predator. The sihek's return represents not just a species recovery but a beacon of hope for the other lost birds of Guam.

Conservationists emphasize that the recovery is still in its early stages, but the signs are overwhelmingly positive. Each egg, each flight, each morning song of a free sihek represents a small victory in the long struggle to undo the ecological damage wrought by invasive species — and proof that even species at the very brink can be brought back.