Why We're Here

The Mariana crow (Corvus kubaryi) and the Rota White-eye (Zosterops rotensis) are currently listed as endangered. Presently, the Mariana crow occurs only on the islands of Guam and the adjacent island of Rota. While the Mariana crow's decline on Guam has been associated with the introduced brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis), this is not thought to be the reason for the decline of this forest crow on Rota.

Indeed, the evidence suggests that all of the avifauna on Rota are declining except for the Micronesian starling. Because the crows on Rota now hold the key to the survival of the species, and other endangered species exist on Rota, it is vital to understand the factors influencing the decline of the avifauna on the island as a first attempt at recovering these species.