The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the publication of the final rule establishing a nonessential experimental population of sihek (Guam kingfisher) on Palmyra Atoll, which is co-managed by The Nature Conservancy and the Service.
Under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act, a population of a threatened or endangered species may be designated as an experimental population prior to its (re)introduction. The nonessential experimental population allows the Service to develop tailored take prohibitions that are necessary and advisable to provide the conservation of the species.
Sihek are endemic to the island of Guam but have been extinct in the wild since 1988 due to predation by the brown tree snake. The sihek population, like many other native species, declined following the introduction of the predatory brown tree snake to Guam in the 1950s. Today, only two of Guam’s 12 native forest birds remain in the wild. Currently sihek are managed under human care at Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities in the continental U.S. and at Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources. After the rule goes into effect, captive bred sihek will be released on Palmyra Atoll to increase the global population of the species and to refine release procedures for eventual reintroduction to Guam. This has been an on-going collaborative effort with Guam DAWR, The Nature Conservancy, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Sedgwick County Zoo, and the Zoological Society of London.
“The designation of an experimental population of sihek on Palmyra Atoll sets the stage for the introduction of this species to the atoll,” said Megan Laut, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery program manager. “We will learn a lot about the sihek behavior in the wild, on best practices to release them, and will also increase the number of birds that exist on Earth.”
The sihek is a striking cinnamon-brown bird with bright blue wings and tail. It has a long, heavy bill that indicates its predatory feeding behavior. Sihek feed entirely on animal prey including skinks, geckos, spiders, beetles, and land crabs. They are a “sit and wait predator” that perch motionless on exposed branches and swoops down to capture prey off the ground with their bill. They are socially monogamous and pairs share responsibilities such as territory defense, incubation, and chick rearing.
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