This painting is of one of my favorite birds of all time, the Micronesian Kingfisher. It is indigenous to the woodlands and forests of Guam but there are zero left in the wild and about 100 in captivity. I was surprised to learn that the usual loss of habitat was not fully to blame for the demise of this kingfisher but rather the brown tree snake.The Philadelphia Zoo has been a leader in the conservation of this endangered species since the Guam Bird Rescue Project was initiated. This year the zoo is opening the doors of the new McNeil Avian Center. Visiting this facility might cause my heart to explode from pure wonderment but I am willing to risk it!
(I thought this lovely little guy deserved a fancy teacup and a few good books).
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