Two special chicks have hatched at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal. The sihek species, also known as Guam kingfisher, is classified as extinct in the wild.
A female chick hatched on April 12 and a male chick hatched April 14, the Smithsonian Zoo announced on social media.
“With only 125 birds in the world, every sihek chick is special, but these two are particularly precious, according to keeper Erica Royer,” the post said. The birds’ parents, Antonio and Poki, have never bred before. “Their genes are not well represented in the population, making their offspring very valuable for the breeding population.”
Guam kingfishers are medium-sized birds that measure about 9 inches long and weigh 1.7 to 2.4 ounces when fully grown. They have blue tails and metallic blue-green wings. Males have brown bodies, while females have white breast feathers.
The species was native to the island of Guam, but it was declared extinct in the wild in 1986.
The Smithsonian is part of the Sihek Recovery Program, a global collaboration of conservationists that work to recover the species.
Feature image by Roshan Patel, courtesy Smithsonian
