Birds from National Aviary arrive on Pacific Ocean island to help restore extinct in the wild species

By Madeline Bartos

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Three birds from Pittsburgh’s National Aviary have arrived at their new home in the Pacific Ocean, where they’ll play an important role in returning their species to the wild for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Guam Kingfishers, known locally as sihek, haven’t been spotted in the wild since 1988 after invasive brown tree snakes arrived on the island and decimated the population. But after fewer than 30 were rescued and taken into human care, the National Aviary and eight other Association of Zoos and Aquarium-accredited organizations have been working to bring the species back.

Nine Guam Kingfishers, including three that hatched at the National Aviary, safely arrived at The Nature Conservancy’s preserve and research station on the island of Palmyra Atoll on Wednesday.

Brianna Crane, the National Aviary’s senior aviculturist, transported the three “beacons of hope” from Pittsburgh to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas, which was their final stop before their new home. Crane says the importance of the Sihek Recovery Program can’t be overstated.

“These very sihek are the key to a future wild population and potentially a downgraded IUCN status. It’s truly amazing,” Crane said in a press release from the aviary.

The birds will spend the next few weeks in temporary aviaries built near their new forest home, which will give them time to acclimate before they’re released onto the predator-free island. The hope is that the birds will establish a breeding population, with the ultimate goal of returning to Guam someday once the threat from brown tree snakes is controlled.

Guam Department of Agriculture Program Coordinator Yolonda Topasna, who is also a member of Guam’s Indigenous CHamoru community, said the project means so much more than just releasing the birds back to their home.

“As our beloved sihek – Guam’s kingfisher – journey to Palmyra Atoll, I feel their resilience reflecting our own,” Topasna said. “But their true home is Guam, just as it is ours. We must bring them back to Guam, for their return is vital to restoring our island’s balance and thriving together. We, the CHamoru of Guahan, have survived threats and invasions, holding fast to our language, songs, and spirit. Our small island has endured, and like the sihek, we long for the return of all that belongs to Guahan to make us whole again.”

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