Guam Kingfisher Flies Free for First Time in Nearly 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 nearly 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 by 1988 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.

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 next few months will be critical as the birds establish territories and potentially begin breeding.

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 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.