Guam kingfisher / sihek (Todiramphus cinnamominus); Extinct in the Wild, photographed in a zoo.
Image: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EW · Extinct in the Wild
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Trend unknown
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Guam kingfisher, or sihek, is a cinnamon-and-blue kingfisher found only on Guam. It is assessed as Extinct in the Wild after the introduced brown tree snake wiped out the wild birds.
It has been kept alive in captivity, with reintroduction recently begun on a snake-free island.
Range & habitat
Formerly the island of Guam; now survives only in captivity, with reintroduction begun on a predator-free island.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- The introduced brown tree snake
- A tiny captive founder population
- Loss of safe habitat
Why it matters
A casualty of the brown tree snake's invasion of Guam, the sihek is a stark lesson in invasive-species impacts — and a hopeful reintroduction story.
Gallery
Guam kingfisher (Todiramphus cinnamominus); a zoo individual.
Image: derivative work: Snowmanradio (talk) Guam_Micronesian_Kingfisher_at_Bronx_Zoo-8.jpg: Eric , CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Guam Kingfisher
- IUCN Red List — look up Guam Kingfisher (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
What wiped out the Guam kingfisher in the wild?
Is the Guam kingfisher being brought back?
Last updated: