Abstract
The Ouvéa Parakeet (Eunymphicus uvaeensis), endemic to Ouvéa Island (Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, south-west Pacific), is a rainforest bird that is dependent on tree cavities for nesting. It is threatened by deforestation, but also by competition for nest sites with introduced bees, harvesting for pets, and potentially predation by introduced species. Despite these threats, we show that the Ouvéa Parakeet population increased exponentially from an estimated 617 (274–996) birds in 1993 to 2,090 (1,280–3,413) birds in 2009 (95% confidence interval). We explain this population increase by community-based protection measures that eliminated nest poaching. We recommend that these measures are maintained, remnant forest is protected, and the introduction of rats is prevented.
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Acknowledgments
This study was financed by the Province des Iles Loyauté (New Caledonia), the ASPO (New Caledonia), the Société Calédonienne d’Ornithologie (New Caledonia) and the British Birdwatching Fair (U.K.). J.T. was supported by the Loro Parque Fundación (Spain) and Fonds für bedrohte Papageien—Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz (Germany). We thank the members of the ASPO—S. Baoutuau, J.F. Chaouri, J.B. Dao, P. Dialla, V. Mindia, B. Tangopi, W. Wamo, L. Wéa, and A. Wétéwéa—for guiding us on their lands; T.C. Greene and R.G. Powlesland for advice; M.F. Barré, J.C. Birot, M. Boissenin, V. Chartendrault, F. Desmoulins, J. Spaggiari, and C. Vanhoye for their help during field work; and D. Brightsmith, G. Dutson, T.W.P. Friedl, A. Legault, T. Müller, J.M. Wunderle and anonymous reviewers for useful comments and corrections.
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Barré, N., Theuerkauf, J., Verfaille, L. et al. Exponential population increase in the endangered Ouvéa Parakeet (Eunymphicus uvaeensis) after community-based protection from nest poaching. J Ornithol 151, 695–701 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-010-0499-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-010-0499-7