Once-Extinct Bird Laying Eggs in the Wild for the First Time in 40 Years

• The once-extinct Sihek bird recently laid eggs in the wild for the first time in close to 40 years
• Nine young Sihek were released at The Nature Conservancy’s Palmyra Atoll Preserve in Hawaii during September 2024 by the Sihek Recovery Program
• Eight of the now-endangered birds have formed pairs and built nests since their release

A once-extinct bird is laying eggs in the wild for the first time in nearly 40 years. 

Sihek, a now-endangered bird returned to the wild in 2024, has laid wild eggs in its new home in Hawaii, according to media releases from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The bird species was previously declared extinct from its native island of Guam in the 1980s. 

The Sihek Recovery Program released nine young Sihek — four females and five males — at TNC’s Palmyra Atoll Preserve in Hawaii during September 2024. Zookeepers raised and nurtured the birds before their release through a global collaboration program among conservationists, including ZSL.  

Sihek birds, also known as Guam kingfishers, have adapted to their new home since their release. Out of the nine birds, eight have formed pairs, per ZSL and TNC. All four pairs have since built nests, and three have laid eggs in the wild for the first time since their species’ extinction. 

Sihek Recovery Team Chair Professor John Ewen of ZSL’s Institute of Zoology noted the exciting news’s timing in a statement. “Many of us spent this Easter weekend out searching high and low for eggs of a different variety — and while they might not be as shiny or brightly colored, these tiny, unassuming-looking eggs are far more exciting and precious than any of their chocolate counterparts,” Ewen said, calling the eggs “a remarkable milestone for the decades-long mission to rescue the Sihek from the edge of extinction.”

London Zoo bird keeper Charlotte James, who helped hand-rear the birds, said, “After many long days last year looking after these birds when they were just tiny eggs and chicks, it’s so rewarding to see them beginning their journey towards raising their own chicks in the forests of Palmyra Atoll.”

James continued to reflect on the journey, adding, “It’s hard not to feel like a proud parent seeing them out there thriving and making history — and an honor to be part of the ongoing mission to bring Sihek back from the brink of extinction.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to TNC, their preserve was selected as the home for wild Sihek because the location is predator-free and in a protected region.  

TNC senior bird conservation specialist Kayla Baker said the discovery of the eggs “left us all with tears in our eyes.”

The birds were called Sihek by the indigenous CHamoru people of Guam. The species became threatened when the brown tree snake was introduced to the island in the 1940s, and the last wild Sihek was seen in 1988.

When the population declined, biologists on the island started a conservation breeding program with 29 Sihek.

According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation, the bird is medium-sized with a strong beak. It is known to be aggressive.

As for the bird’s cultural origins, Yolonda Topasña of the Guam Department of Agriculture Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources said, “The Guåhan Sihek continue to etch their story upon us, marking milestones with Tutuhan again at the forefront! Tutuhan was the first hatchling last year and is now the first to produce eggs. Her name means beginning, and she showed signs of strength from the beginning, wanting to feed herself before being old enough to do so.”

But what comes next? ZSL and TNC stated that the mated pairs may need trial-and-error time to learn how to raise their young. The organizations said, “It’s likely it will take a few rounds of egg laying for the birds to hone their skills and hatch chicks.”

More young Sihek are set to be released at Palmyra Atoll in the summer.