In a remarkable breakthrough for wildlife conservation, a UK-based zoo has joined forces with international experts to help hatch three of the planet’s rarest birds — an achievement that could mark a turning point in the fight to save this critically endangered species from extinction.
The successful hatching of three blue-eyed ground dove chicks took place in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state, the only region in the world where this elusive species still survives. The arrival of these chicks offers a much-needed boost to the survival prospects of the blue-eyed ground dove, one of Earth’s most threatened bird species, with estimates suggesting that as few as 11 individuals remain in the wild.
The project represents a major collaborative effort between Chester Zoo in the UK, Brazilian conservation groups, and American zoological institutions. Together, they are working to build what is known as an “insurance population” — a managed, safeguarded group of birds living in human care, designed to protect against total loss in the wild and support eventual reintroduction efforts.
The blue-eyed ground dove, once a widespread resident of Brazil’s Cerrado biome — a rich, tropical savanna landscape — had not been officially recorded for over 70 years. That was until its remarkable rediscovery in 2015, which reignited hope for the species’ survival and prompted urgent action from conservationists worldwide.
“It’s a real privilege for Chester Zoo to be involved in the work to help conserve the blue-eyed ground dove,” said Andrew Owen, Chester Zoo’s head of birds. “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.”
This latest conservation milestone builds upon the incremental successes of the past two years. According to Owen, “This year saw the successful hand-rearing of three blue-eyed ground doves – building on the successes of 2023 and 2024 and doubling the conservation-breeding insurance population.”
The project’s efforts began earlier this year with an intricate and delicate process: a team of experienced Brazilian and international ornithologists carefully selected a small number of wild-laid eggs for incubation. The idea was to raise the resulting chicks under expert care, enhancing the number of individuals safeguarded from the growing threats in their natural habitat.
To ensure the best possible outcomes, Andrew Owen traveled to Brazil to provide technical expertise on avian care and chick rearing, while Victoria Kaldis, lead keeper for birds at Chester Zoo, also joined the mission to assist with the hands-on work.
The initiative was spearheaded by Parque das Aves, a leading bird conservation center in Brazil, in partnership with SAVE Brasil. Support also came from American partners at the Toledo and Bronx Zoos.
“Seeing these chicks is exciting. Each hatching represents a real chance to reverse the fate of this species,” said Paloma Bosso, technical director of Parque das Aves. “It is a joy and also a great responsibility.”
Thanks to these efforts, Parque das Aves is now home to six blue-eyed ground doves in total. All individuals are closely monitored and form part of a carefully coordinated reproductive management plan, aimed at stabilizing and eventually increasing the population through managed breeding and possible future releases.
The blue-eyed ground dove’s perilous status has earned it a place on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List as Critically Endangered. Once a common sight across Brazil’s expansive Cerrado biome, the species has seen its numbers plummet dramatically due to severe habitat destruction driven by agriculture, timber plantations, and human encroachment.
Today, the only confirmed population of wild blue-eyed ground doves resides in the small town of Botumirim, Minas Gerais. A 2025 census confirmed just how dire the situation remains, reinforcing the urgency of ex-situ conservation initiatives like the one led by Chester Zoo and its partners.
Ben Phalan, head of conservation at Parque das Aves, emphasized the importance of collective effort in saving the species: “The blue-eyed ground dove depends on the efforts of many people and institutions, so that its song can be heard in the Cerrado for many years to come.”
This inspiring conservation story stands as a testament to what international collaboration, expertise, and perseverance can achieve in the face of extinction.
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