Micronesian Kingfisher

The Micronesian Kingfisher has three subspecies, each restricted to a single island/island group:

The Micronesian Kingfisher is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Micronesian Kingfisher, Todiramphus cinnamominus, is a species of kingfisher from the Pacific Islands of Guam, Pohnpei and Palau. One of its subspecies, the Guam Kingfisher, is restricted to a captive breeding program following its extinction in the wild due to the introduced brown tree snake. More

To the contrary, the adult male Micronesian Kingfishers from Guam have cinnamon underparts and Guam females and juveniles are white below. All subspecies have large laterally-flattened bills and dark legs. The calls of Micronesian Kingfishers are generally raspy chattering, and they differ in cadence and pitch among islands. Micronesian Kingfishers are terrestrial forest generalists that tend to be somewhat secretive. On Pohnpei, the birds can be observed foraging along forest edges and from phone wires, while they are less conspicuous on the Palau islands. More

The Micronesian kingfisher has proven to be difficult to breed in captivity. The Species Survival Program began with the 29 individuals and grew to 65 birds by 1991 but dropped to only 59 birds in ten U.S. institutions in late 1999. When the program began, there was very little information on the nutrition and behavioral ecology of wild Micronesian kingfishers. The kingfishers had very specific nest log requirements. More

The Micronesian kingfisher is endemic to Micronesia and is comprised of three distinct endemic subspecies: Todiramphus cinnamomina cinnamomina on Guam, Todiramphus cinnamomina reichenbachii on Pohnpei, and Todiramphus cinnamomina pelewensis on Palau. The Guam subspecies has been extirpated from the wild and now exists only in small captive-reared populations in facilities on the mainland and Guam. The three subspecies are similar to one another in size and shape and differ primarily in the amount and placement of the cinnamon coloration. More

In the wild, Micronesian kingfishers feed mainly on small lizards, insects and occasionally small mammals and crustaceans. Wild kingfishers will catch a lizard and carry it to a tree limb where the bird will beat the lizard against the limb until dead prior to eating it. At the Zoo, the Micronesian kingfishers are offered a base diet of lizards, baby mice (pinkies) and supplements. The enrichment portion of the diet includes a variety of insects. More

By 1981, Micronesian kingfisher numbers had declined to approximately 3,000 birds. When the kingfisher was first designated as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1984, less than 50 kingfishers remained in the wild. Twenty-one birds were then captured and transported to U.S. zoos, as captive breeding programs were considered to be the last hedge against extinction. An additional eight birds were imported to the U.S. in 1986, and the last sighting of a Micronesian kingfisher in the wild occurred in 1988. More

Sihek/Guam Micronesian Kingfisher: Returned The Chamorro name for the Kingfisher is Sihek (Micronesian Kingfisher) Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina September 25, 2003 Dept Of Agriculture Mangilao, Guam Endangered Species Subspecies endemic to Guam Extinct in the Wild Fact Sheets: A Fish and Wildlife fact sheet shows the physical difference between the female (above) and the male (Inset More

The Micronesian kingfisher (Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamonina) is one of the world's most endangered bird species. In the 1980s, the Philadelphia Zoo took part in an emergency rescue operation to save the last 29 wild kingfishers from extinction on Guam and bring them back to the United States. The species is now extinct in the wild. The only remaining kingfishers-58 in all-are in United States zoos. More

A rare Guam Micronesian kingfisher—a subspecies extinct in the wild—hatched at the Zoo's Conservation and Research Center. Guam Micronesian kingfisher chick Guam Micronesian kingfisher chick hatched at the Zoo. A rare Guam Micronesian kingfisher (Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina or Todirhamphus cinnamominus) hatched on July 15 at the Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center. The chick, the first offspring of a genetically valuable pair, weighed only 5.5 grams (about 1/5 of an ounce) at hatching. More

Micronesian kingfishers believe in equality of the sexes, at least when it comes to child-rearing. Both male and female help build the nest, usually located in a hole in a tree. Nesting season is December to July. The female lays two smooth white eggs. After the chicks hatch, both mom and dad bring food to the chicks, usually what they themselves eat. More

Micronesian kingfishers are extinct in the wild (though reintroduction programs have begun to take place); currently, these birds only live only in zoos HABITAT: they formerly lived in old-growth and second-growth forests (those that have been cut, then regrown) along rivers; on the coast of Guam, they could be found in stands of palm trees; they also used to perch on telephone lines next to roads; Micronesian kingfishers were once fairly common birds Surviving Because More

The Guam Micronesian Kingfisher is already extinct in the wild due to the introduction of brown tree snakes during World War II. Historically, the species was widely found in the forests of Guam. Researchers discovered that after World War II, brown tree snakes had been accidentally introduced to the island. Guam More

Micronesian kingfishers remained in the world – and all lived in captivity. The hatchings boost hopes for one day reintroducing the offspring of captive birds to their native habitat on the Pacific island. To learn about the development of Lincoln Park Zoo’s two chicks, click here. Habitat Historically occurred island-wide in all habitats except pure savanna and wetlands, favoring woodlands and forest areas for feeding and nesting. More

Guam Micronesian Kingfisher (Halcyon c. cinnamomina) Taxonomy: The Guam Micronesian kingfisher is one of three remaining subspecies of Halcyon cinnamomina. The other remaining subspecies are H. c. pelewinsis, which has a declining population on Palau island, but is not at this time considered to be threatened, and the subspecies with the highest population numbers, H. c. reichenbachii from Pohnpei. There was also H. c. More

Guam Micronesian kingfisher (Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina) - Kingdom: Animalia Class: Aves Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae Listing Status: Quick links:Federal RegisterRecoveryCritical HabitatConservation PlansPetitionsLife HistoryOther Resources General Information In general, they are medium-sized kingfishers measuring around 9 inches (22 centimeters). The upper parts are iridescent greenish-blue, the underparts white or buffy, and the cap is rusty-cinnamon colored. More

There are only 113 Micronesian kingfishers left on the planet and all of them are housed in zoos and breeding facilities. Like many of the bird species on Guam, the Micronesian kingfisher fell victim to the brown tree snake which was accidentally introduced to the island in the 1940s. By 1981, Micronesian kingfisher numbers had declined to approximately 3,000 birds. When the kingfisher was first designated as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1984, less than 50 kingfishers remained in the wild. More

The Micronesian Kingfisher, or "sihek" as it is called in Chamoru, is a colorful bird that was once very common on Guam. Predation by kulepbla (brown tree snakes) has brought about the extinction of the sihek population in the wild. The last sighting of a wild sihek was reported in 1989. A captive breeding program to save the sihek from extinction began in 1983. As of 1993, there were about 50 sihek in captivity at various zoos throughout the United States. Kingfishers are often called "woodpeckers. More