Four Rare Guam Kingfisher Chicks Hatch at Virginia Facility, Making an 'Incredibly Valuable' Addition to the Small Population of Extinct-in-the-Wild Birds

Carlyn Kranking· May 29, 2026 · 9:00 PM UTC ·6 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 69 views

#conservation #wildlife #endangered species

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Four Guam kingfisher chicks, also known as sihek, have hatched at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia, marking a significant boost to their critically low population. The hatchlings come from first-time parents, and their successful breeding is crucial for enhancing genetic diversity within the species. With only about 125 sihek remaining globally, every new chick is considered incredibly valuable for conservation efforts.

Key facts

▪Four sihek chicks hatched at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia this spring.
▪The species was wiped out from its native Guam due to the invasive brown tree snake.
▪Only about 125 sihek are currently living worldwide, making each new hatchling important for conservation.

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Smithsonian Magazine · Carlyn Kranking

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Original publisher	Smithsonian Magazine
Canonical URL	https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-rare-guam-kingfisher-chicks-hatch-at-virginia-facility-making-an-incredibly-valuable-addition-to-the-small-population-of-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-180988863/
Publication time	Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:41 +0000
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Four Rare Guam Kingfisher Chicks Hatch at Virginia Facility, Making an ‘Incredibly Valuable’ Addition to the Small Population of Extinct-in-the-Wild Birds The species, also known as the sihek, was wiped out from its native Guam and kept alive in captivity. Conservationists released some birds on Palmyra Atoll in 2024, and they have been thriving so far Carlyn Kranking | Associate Web Editor, Science May 29, 2026 5:00 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source A sihek, or Guam kingfisher, chick born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Roshan Patel, Smithsonian Extinct from their native habitat in the wild, the Guam kingfisher, or sihek, is an extremely rare bird. But this spring, its numbers got an important boost.

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