Nest Success and Nest Predation of the Endangered Rota White-eye (Zosterops rotensis)

Abstract

The Rota White-eye (Zosterops rotensis) is an endangered species endemic to the island of Rota in western Micronesia. We monitored eight nests from 2003 to 2005, four of which produced at least one fledgling. Clutch size was two in each of five nests that were counted; the average number of fledglings from successful nests was 1.5 (n = 4). We filmed six nests and captured two nest predation events on video. A Mariana Crow (Corvus kubaryi), which is also an endangered species, was filmed taking nestlings from one white-eye nest. Another nest containing eggs was depredated by a rat (Rattus spp.); however, this may have occurred after the nest was abandoned due to the presence of the camera.