Guam flycatcher

The Guam flycatcher, or Guam broadbill, is an extinct species of bird in the family Monarchidae formerly endemic to Guam.

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Distribution

Region

Micronesia

Typical Environment

Historically restricted to the island of Guam in the Mariana Islands, occupying native limestone karst forest, ravine forest, and forest edges. It also occurred in secondary growth and thickets where suitable perches and insect prey were abundant. Birds typically foraged from the mid to lower canopy, making short sallies into open spaces. Nests were placed on branches or in forks within dense foliage. The species vanished rapidly after the brown tree snake spread across the island.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 400 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size13–15 cm

Wing Span20–24 cm

Male Weight0.015 kg

Female Weight0.014 kg

Life Expectancy5 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Also known as the Guam broadbill, this monarch flycatcher was endemic to the island of Guam and is now extinct. Its rapid disappearance followed the post–World War II introduction of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis), which devastated many of Guam’s native birds. It foraged by sallying from perches to catch insects and was once a common component of the island’s forest bird community.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

active and alert

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from perches

Social Behavior

Observed singly or in territorial pairs, especially during the breeding season. It constructed small cup nests in forks or on horizontal branches, with both parents likely participating in care. Territorial calling and short chases around favored perches were typical.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A series of thin whistles and sharp chips, delivered from exposed perches. Calls were repetitive and scolding when agitated.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Guam rail

The Guam rail, known locally and in Chamorro as ko'ko', is a small, terrestrial bird endemic to Guam in the Rallidae family. They are one of the island's few remaining endemic bird species. The species became extinct in the wild in the early 1980s when biologists captured the remaining wild population to establish a breeding program. They have since been successfully introduced to the nearby Rota and Cocos islands. In 2019, they became the second bird species to be reclassified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature from Extinct in the Wild to Critically Endangered.

Guanay cormorant

The guanay cormorant or guanay shag is a member of the cormorant family found on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile. After breeding it spreads south to southern parts of Chile and north to Ecuador, and has also been recorded as far north as Panama and Colombia, probably a result of mass dispersal due to food shortage in El Niño years. Its major habitats include shallow seawater and rocky shores. A former population on the Patagonian Atlantic coast of Argentina appears to be extinct.