Guam kingfisher
Status
Extinct in the Wild
Classification
Bird
Exhibit
McNeil Avian Center
Saving the Species
Philadelphia Zoo has been a leader in the conservation of this endangered species since the initiation of the Guam Bird Rescue Project in 1983.
Extinct in the Wild
The Guam kingfisher is no longer found in the wild. It was driven almost to extinction by predation by the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) that was introduced to the island during World War II.
Philadelphia Zoo, in conjunction with other U.S. zoos and the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, captured the last remaining 29 birds to establish a species survival breeding population. The Zoo has hatched and reared dozens of Guam kingfishers to grow their numbers and ensure healthy birds are available for reintroduction when conditions are right. At the Zoo we have several adult pairs, although most of them live off-exhibit to encourage breeding.