Four Extinct-in-Wild Guam Kingfisher Chicks Hatch in Virginia

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Guam kingfisher might have wild chicks again, and four new hatchlings in Virginia are bringing that dream closer to reality.

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, welcomed four sihek chicks this spring. The first two emerged on April 12 and 14, with two more following on May 27 and 28.

Their parents, 2-year-old Poki and 5-year-old Antonio, had never bred before. That makes these chicks especially valuable because their genes are rare in the tiny global population of only 125 birds.

"Given the small size of the worldwide population of sihek, every additional individual is incredibly valuable," says Megan Laut, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They are the next generation."

The Guam kingfisher vanished from the wild after World War II when invasive brown tree snakes arrived on the island, likely through military cargo ships. With no natural predators, the snakes multiplied rapidly and wiped out ten of Guam's twelve forest bird species.

Today, the sihek survives only because of dedicated captive breeding programs. Staff at the Conservation Biology Institute feed the chicks seven times daily and carefully monitor their development.

Because Poki and Antonio were first-time parents, keepers gave them practice eggs filled with plaster while incubating the real ones. The team controlled temperature, humidity, and turning schedules to give the chicks the best chance of survival.

The Ripple Effect

The real celebration happened last September when conservationists released nine sihek to Palmyra Atoll, a predator-free chain of islands in the Pacific. All nine are still alive, beating expectations.

In March 2025, biologists discovered something miraculous: sihek eggs in a wild nest for the first time in nearly four decades. Though the eggs didn't hatch, experts see it as a positive sign from inexperienced parents learning their craft.

"We are hopeful that we'll soon have our first wild chick in almost 40 years as these birds grow a bit older and gain more parenting experience," says John Ewen, a professor in species recovery at the Zoological Society of London. "We are also working on sending another group of sihek to Palmyra Atoll."

The partnership bringing these birds back includes the Guam Department of Agriculture, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Nature Conservancy, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Together, they're proving that species on the brink can return.

For the Indigenous CHamoru people of Guam, the sihek holds deep cultural significance, and every new chick brings hope that this vibrant bird will one day reclaim its island home.