Portland, Oregon – Three critically endangered Guam kingfishers, extinct in the wild for nearly 40 years, are thriving in the Oregon Zoo’s Vollum Aviary.

The small, brightly colored birds have been housed together since 2024, a strategy previously thought impossible due to male territorial behavior. Erica Royer, a sihek expert with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, said, “The Oregon Zoo has shown us that, actually, under the right circumstances, you can keep them together.”

This new approach frees up space for breeding pairs at other locations, a vital step in a species with fewer than 130 birds remaining. “Currently, the recovery program has 81 males and 44 females,” Royer said. “It’s been awesome to see these boys living their best lives in Portland.”

The siheks coexist peacefully with other species in the aviary, including blue-bellied rollers and emerald starlings. Nicole LaGreco, who oversees the zoo’s bird population, added, “They’re very active at night. Our motion cameras have captured them flying around, hunting and eating insects.”

The last siheks were brought into human care in the 1980s to prevent extinction after invasive tree snakes decimated their population on Guam. While reintroduction on Guam remains impossible, nine young siheks were released on predator-free Palmyra Atoll in 2024, where they are reported to be thriving and producing eggs.

LaGreco said, “We’re honored to care for these birds and hope this approach opens up more space at breeding centers for eventual reintroduction to the wild.

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