The Sihek (Guam Kingfisher) Finds Hope at Palmyra Atoll
Located 1,000 miles south of Hawai‘i, the atoll is the only fully protected habitat for birds in the equatorial Pacific.
Quote: Yolonda Topasna
These beautiful birds haven’t sung in the forests of Guam for more than 30 years, but this exciting moment [is] a pivotal step toward the eventual reintroduction of this stunning creature to Islan Guåhan.
On August 28th, 2024, nine endangered Guam kingfishers arrived at Palmyra Atoll in a monumental new chapter for this magnificent bird. Known as sihek by the indigenous CHamoru* people, these colorful birds are found only in Guam, where they have deep cultural and spiritual significance. But in the 1940s the arrival of an invasive species—the brown tree snake—led to the sihek becoming extinct in the wild, with the last wild sighting in 1988.
The loss of wild sihek in Guam is a tragedy. While the road to reintroducing them to their native forests is long, conservationists around the globe are working together to achieve this goal. Since the 1980s, the island bird has survived in conservation zoos and other wildlife facilities. Today, around 130 adult sihek are cared for at 25 zoos and institutions and a Guam Department of Agriculture facility. Now these birds have a chance to return to the wild at Palmyra Atoll.
*The CHamoru name is spelled with a capitalized H. Guam is spelled Guåhan in CHamoru.
Growing Sihek Chicks
Sihek chicks destined for Palmyra were hatched and hand-reared at a specialized quarantine rearing facility at Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas. Specialist bird keepers worked around the clock to feed, weigh and monitor the chicks as they grew from hatchlings to young adults.
![Partners from the Program build 1 of 3 avaiaries to receive sihek chicks at TNC's Palmyra Atoll Preserve.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/SihekRecoveryCaitlinAndrews2023.jpg)
![This chick will be raised by expert bird keepers and eventually released into the wild on Palmyra Atoll.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/SihekchickatquarantinePhotobyThomasManglona.jpg)
![One of last years Sihek chicks at 33 days old. Soon this years chick will also have her iconic blue and cinnamon coloured feathers.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/33daysoldEricRoyer.jpg)
![Partners from the Program build 1 of 3 avaiaries to receive sihek chicks at TNC's Palmyra Atoll Preserve.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/SihekRecoveryCaitlinAndrews2023.jpg)
Sihek Recovery Program: TNC and partners from the Program built 3 aviaries to receive sihek chicks at our preserve and research station at Palmyra Atoll. © Caitlin Andrews
Sihek Egg: A sihek egg begins to hatch at a specialized quarantine rearing facility at Sedgwick County Zoo. © ZSL
Sihek Hatchling: A newly hatched sihek at Sedgwick County Zoo. © ZSL
![This chick will be raised by expert bird keepers and eventually released into the wild on Palmyra Atoll.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/SihekchickatquarantinePhotobyThomasManglona.jpg)
Sihek Chick: This 10-day-old chick was raised by expert bird keepers for release into the wild on Palmyra Atoll. © Thomas Manglona KUAM
![One of last years Sihek chicks at 33 days old. Soon this years chick will also have her iconic blue and cinnamon coloured feathers.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/33daysoldEricRoyer.jpg)
33 Days Old: Soon this 33 day old chick will develop her iconic blue and cinnamon coloured feathers. © Erica Royer
Palmyra Atoll: A Global Haven
Sihek chicks are being taken to Palmyra Atoll because it is one of the most healthy land and ocean ecosystems on the planet, thanks to decades of protection and restoration work by TNC and partners. Located 1,000 miles south of Hawai‘i, the atoll is the only fully protected habitat for birds in the equatorial Pacific and comprises a spectacular marine wilderness. TNC purchased Palmyra Atoll in 2000 to preserve it, and turned over the majority of the property to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. As part of our Island Resilience Strategy, TNC maintains a globally significant preserve and research station at Palmyra.
![An aerial view of Palmyra Atoll](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/a/e/Aerial-Palmyra-Atoll.jpg?crop=0%2C17%2C800%2C500&wid=640&hei=400&scl=1.25)
![An abundance of seabirds nest in native trees at Palmyra Atoll.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/s/e/seabirds_nesting_at_Palmyra_Atoll.jpg?crop=166%2C0%2C2666%2C2000&wid=400&hei=300&scl=6.666666666666667)
Our work to remove invasive species like rats and restore native tropical forest has created a rare and wonderful opportunity at Palmyra: the atoll is free from invasive predators, incredibly wild and carefully monitored. It offers high-quality forest habitat suitable for sihek that is similar to their native forests. And, extensive research shows that introducing the sihek will have minimal effects on native wildlife at Palmyra. All this makes Palmyra one of the only places in the world where conditions are suitable for the sihek to re-enter the wild.
Quote: Professor John Ewen
Returning species to the wild is a long, carefully planned journey built upon global scientific expertise. Sihek deserve a chance to flourish in the wild once again—and it’s well worth taking our time to get it right.
Adapting to a New Home
Now that they have arrived at Palmyra, the four female and five male sihek will adjust to their new forest home in aviaries built at TNC’s research station. TNC scientists will carefully monitor the birds until they have grown strong and large enough to be released, likely within a month of their arrival. The birds will need to acclimate in their new environment and learn to forage for local prey, including insects and geckos they have not previously encountered. Once released, the birds will be tracked, observed and monitored.
![Closeup of a ten-day-old Guam kingfisher chick in a weighing container.](https://natureconservancy-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Sihek-chick-day-10-ZSL.jpg?crop=0%2C148%2C3790%2C2368&wid=640&hei=400&scl=5.921875)
TNC scientists will be stationed on the remote atoll for the next five years to care for and monitor the birds, while also collecting rare insights on how the species behaves in the wild. Each year, new birds will be released until 10 breeding pairs have successfully established in the wild. This number will give the population a strong foundation with room to grow.
Hopefully, this rewilding of sihek at Palmyra will be another successful step on the bird’s journey back to Guam.
![](/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/GroupSihekphoto_.jpg)