Birds – General
03.03.2010 by chagosadmin
Seventeen species of breeding seabirds can be found nesting in huge colonies on many of the islands in the Chagos archipelago, and 10 of the islands have received formal designation as Important Bird Areas by Birdlife International. This means that Chagos has the most diverse breeding seabird community within this tropical region.
Of particular interest are the large colonies of sooty terns (Sterna fuscata), brown and lesser noddy’s (Anous stolidus and A. tenuirostris), wedge-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) and red-footed boobies (Sula sula). Rat colonies on several of the islands cause problems with ground-nesting species, and habitat restoration (including removal of the rats) would be an important part of the management of the Chagos Protected Area.
