Rare Blue-eyed Ground Doves Hatch at UK Zoo

Photo: Hector Bottai via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

With only 11 individuals left in the wild, the blue-eyed ground dove (also known as columbina cyanopis) is among the rarest birds on Earth. The cinnamon-colored dove with blue spots on its wings and vivid blue eyes to match is currently classed as Critically Endangered, but there’s still hope for the species’s survival. Chester Zoo in England and an international team of bird conservationists recently announced the successful hatching of three chicks, giving the striking bird a chance of growing its population once again.

The blue-eyed ground dove is native to the tropical savannas of eastern Brazil, where the remaining wild population exists in three small, isolated groups, each separated by over a mile. Remarkably, the elusive bird was thought to be lost for more than 75 years until its rediscovery in 2015 by ornithologist Rafael Bessa while conducting field work. Since then, conservationists have been working to secure a future for the rare bird. Despite their efforts, the species continues to face serious threats from human-caused wildfires to the growing impacts of climate change.

Most recently, a group of Brazilian and American conservationists took on the delicate task of selecting and incubating a few eggs laid in the wild, hoping to build a backup population in human care in Brazil. Andrew Owen, head of birds at Chester Zoo, flew to Brazil to share his expertise, and Victoria Kaldis, the zoo’s lead bird keeper, joined him to assist with the careful hand-rearing of the chicks.

Chester Zoo recently shared a video of one of the healthy, newly hatched chicks. “These precious chicks are a vital lifeline for the species, and bring real hope for the future of these stunning birds,” the team wrote in the caption. “With time (and teamwork!), we hope to build on this success and continue to help boost the wild population.”

In the long run, the conservationists hope to establish a strong, self-sustaining group that can play a vital role in securing the species’s future in the wild. “It’s a real privilege for Chester Zoo to be involved in the work to help conserve the blue-eyed ground dove,” said Owen. “This unique species is on the brink of extinction and without the dedication and passion of all the conservationists involved, including Chester Zoo’s bird staff, this bird may be lost forever.”

Find out more on the Chester Zoo website.