Guam Kingfisher

More Information

Physical Description

Guam kingfishers measure up to nine inches long. Both sexes have a long, stout, pointed bill; a black eye strip; and greenish-blue wings. Males have a cinnamon-colored head and chest, and females have a white chest and belly. Males and females work together to build their nest, an activity that helps with bonding. In the wild, their diet primarily consists of insects and lizards. In zoos, they also eat mice, anoles, crickets, and worms.

Interesting Fact 1

Guam kingfishers, once widespread on the island of Guam, are extinct in the wild due to the introduction of the brown tree snake.

Interesting Fact 2

They are aggressive, territorial birds with a loud, raspy call.

Interesting Fact 3

They use their beak to carve nesting holes in trees—jabbing repeatedly at the wood while in flight.