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those where the bird loss was greatest. The brown tree snake is not native in Guam, but was introduced by accident or design in the 1940s. Experts found that the snake climbs trees, eats birds and eggs, and exists in the millions on the little island.
“Patterns of extinction and proliferation are the most exaggerated on an island,” said Ms. Eagan. “They’re so insulated.”
Conservationists were faced with an intriguing task. They proposed to remove enough of the rails and kingfishers to rebuild a population in selected zoos, meanwhile controlling the snake until levels are low enough to re-introduce the birds.
They acted just in time: As of now, there are only seven rails on Guam (in a protected facility), some in the Bronx zoo, a few in Philadelphia and 35 in Front Royal, plus two newborn chicks.
Having found that the rails breed easily in captivity, center biologists are determined that a good blood line be established for the eventual return to Guam of the rails. The center veterinarians have perfected a microscopic operation that determines the sex of the birds, and characteristics are recorded in a bird “stud book” so that the most desirable traits can be bred.
The birds love to hide in the bamboo, said Ms. Eagan, but unlike the pandas, they don’t eat it.
What do they eat?
“Their strong favorite is hardboiled eggs,” said Ms. Eagan,
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