Todiramphus cinnamominus
The Guam Kingfisher (Todiramphus cinnamominus), a striking member of the tree kingfisher family Halcyonidae, is a tragically iconic species, now considered extinct in the wild on its native island of Guam. Adults typically measure around 23 cm (9 inches) in length, featuring a stout, dark bill and a distinctive plumage. Males boast brilliant iridescent blue-green upperparts, a conspicuous white collar, and rich cinnamon-rufous underparts, while females are similar but often have duller or mor...
Historically, the Guam Kingfisher inhabited dense limestone forests, ravine forests, and agroforests across Guam, favoring areas with a closed canopy and mature trees for nesting cavities.
Primarily insectivorous and carnivorous, their diet consists mainly of large terrestrial insects like grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, supplemented by small lizards and geckos, captured using a sit-and-wait pounce technique.
Guam Kingfishers are diurnal, typically observed perching silently on branches for extended periods, surveying their surroundings for prey. They employ a classic "sit-and-wait" foraging strategy, swooping down to snatch terrestrial invertebrates, small lizards, and geckos from the forest floor or...
Historically, the Guam Kingfisher was endemic solely to the island of Guam in the Mariana Archipelago, Micronesia. Its range encompassed the entirety of the island, where it was once a common resident in various forest types from the north to the south. Following the catastrophic population crash...
Critically Endangered
- The Guam Kingfisher is one of only two bird species endemic to Guam that survived the brown treesnake invasion, the other being the Guam Rail (Ko'ko'). - It is considered "extinct in the wild" on Guam itself, with all remaining individuals part of a meticulously managed captive breeding program...