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Micronesian Kingfisher

Micronesian Kingfisher
(Halcyon cinnamomima cinnamomima)

The Micronesian kingfisher is native to Guam, where it thrived until the brown tree snake was accidentally introduced to the island. The snake made easy prey of many species of birds which were unaccustomed to snakes as predators, including the Micronesian kingfisher, which now appears to be extinct in Guam. The only surviving birds reside in captivity in zoos.

Many kingfisher birds actually hunt and eat fish as part of their diet. The Micronesian kingfisher, however, survives mostly on a diet of grasshoppers, lizards, insects, and small crustaceans. This bird's large, strong beak is useful for drilling nest holes in trees and rotting wood.



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