The Rota bridled white-eye - a small forest bird with a distinctive ring of white feathers around its eyes -as proposed as an endangered species today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Found in the Mariana archipelago, the Rota bridled white-eye exists only on the of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
"We join with the people of Rota today in trying to protect one of their unique and beautiful native birds," said Anne Badgley, Pacific Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Just like the totot, the Rota bridled white-eye is an important part of Rotas natural heritage. This bird is found nowhere else in the world, and we hope to work closely with local residents to ensure it does not disappear forever."
Population estimates for the Rota bridled white-eye have declined dramatically since the early 1980s, when they numbered almost 11,000 birds. Today, fewer than 1,200 birds probably remain on Rota, an 89 percent decline. Once numerous and found at low elevations on the island, current Rota bridled white-eye populations are concentrated in four areas of the in old-growth native limestone forests more than 200 meters (650 feet) in elevation.
The Rota bridled white-eye is a small (approximately 10 centimeters or 4 inches) yellowish bird with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. Average weight of the bird is about 9 grams (one- third of an ounce). The species feeds primarily on insects and often is found in small flocks of five to seven birds. Its closest relatives are the Guam bridled white-eye, which is believed to be extinct, and the Saipan bridled white-eye, which is relatively abundant on Saipan, Tinian, and Aguiguan.
Exact causes for the sharp decline in Rota bridled white-eye populations are unknown. Possible factors contributing toward the decline include degradation or loss of habitat due to development, agricultural activities, and naturally occurring events such as typhoons; avian disease; predation by rats and black drongos (an introduced bird species from Taiwan); and use of pesticides.
The Rota bridled white-eye was listed as threatened and endangered by the CNMI government in 1991. If this proposal becomes a final rule, Federal protection would be extended to the species and a recovery plan outlining activities to be undertaken to recover the species would be developed and implemented.
"The goal of our recovery plans is to recover the species so they become eligible for delisting," said Badgley.
The Service will designate critical habitat for the species in the future. The public will have the opportunity to fully participate in that process.
The proposed listing of the species was delayed when the Service announced in November 2000 that it would be unable to list any new species in Fiscal Year 2001 because virtually its entire listing budget was being used to comply with court orders and settlement agreements, which primarily involved the designation of critical habitat for species already listed under the Act. Last month, the Service announced an agreement with a variety of plaintiffs that would free up funds to list the Rota bridled white-eye and other species.
The proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register on October 3. A public comment period is open until December 3. Copies of the proposed rule are available through the Federal Register Internet website at http://www.access.gpo.gov . Copies will also be available by calling the Fish and Wildlife Service office in Honolulu at 808 541 3441. Comments should be sent to Paul Henson, Field Supervisor, Pacific Islands Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 3-122, Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov
