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Low productivity in the Critically Endangered Mauritius Olive White-eye Zosterops chloronothos
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 October 2005
Abstract
Productivity of the endemic Mauritius Olive White-eye Zosterops chloronothos, the least known of the Mauritian land-bird species, was studied for three consecutive breeding seasons. Fifteen White-eye territories were monitored in 1998–1999 and 1999–2000, and 18 in 2000–2001. Although respectively 67%, 73% and 78% of pairs in these territories exhibited signs of breeding, the annual proportion of pairs that successfully produced a fledgling was found to be extremely low at 7%, 7% and 17% respectively. Only five fledglings were observed during the 3 year period. None of the pairs was observed to have more than one successful nesting episode per season, and no pair produced more than a single fledgling over the 3 years. The extremely low productivity of this declining population is of critical concern. Species-specific conservation management is urgently required for this species.
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- BirdLife International 2005
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