Overview

• The Guam kingfisher, extinct in the wild since 1988 due to invasive brown tree snakes, has successfully bred in the wild on Palmyra Atoll.
• Nine captive-bred kingfishers, raised in U.S. zoos and hand-reared at Sedgwick County Zoo, were released on Palmyra Atoll in September 2024.
• Researchers documented the first wild-laid eggs on March 31, 2025, with additional eggs found in other nests shortly after.
• Palmyra Atoll, a predator-free environment managed by The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was chosen for its suitability for reintroduction efforts.
• Plans are underway to release more kingfishers in summer 2025, aiming to establish a stable population and eventually return the species to Guam.