Let’s add another one to this list.

from Guampedia

Rare Micronesian kingfisher hatches at Lincoln Park Zoo
William Mullen
June 13, 2009
A Guam Micronesian kingfisher, one of the world’s most endangered birds, hatched June 2 at Lincoln Park Zoo’s birdhouse, becoming one of fewer than 100 individuals of the species still alive.

The zoo, which announced the hatchling Friday, has seven of the surviving birds: the new chick and three breeding pairs. All surviving members of the species now live in captivity.

The kingfishers had been a common bird on Guam until the late 1940s, when poisonous brown tree snakes arrived as stowaways on lumber boats to the Pacific island. The growing population of snakes ate several native bird species into extinction, including Guam flycatchers.

The kingfisher was almost gone when American zoos gathered the last few individuals to breed them in captivity.

References:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-endangered-birthjun13,0,2094011.story

Popularity: 2%