Introduced house mice Mus musculus:: a significant predator of threatened and endemic birds on Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean?

House mice Mus musculus have successfully colonized many temperate and sub-Antarctic islands that are the location for breeding colonies of millions of seabirds. Unlike other introduced mammals, the impact of house mice on seabirds and endemic birds is believed to have been negligible. The breeding ecology of seabirds breeding on Gough Island, central South Atlantic Ocean, was studied for the first time during September 2000 to September 2001. Breeding success of the endangered Tristan albatross Diomedea (exulans) dabbenena and endangered Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta were 27.3 and 19.9% respectively. Mortality of large Tristan albatross and Atlantic petrel chicks was observed, and the pattern of wounds and observations of feeding indicate that introduced mice were responsible for this predation. Breeding numbers of the endemic Gough bunting Rowettia goughensis are mostly found in upland areas of Gough Island where mice are scarce and are restricted to inaccessible cliffs in the lowlands where mice are abundant. This pattern, together with the high predation rates of artificial-eggs in lowland habitats in comparison to the uplands, strongly suggests that mice constrain the distribution of Gough buntings. The results of this study provide the first evidence for the role of house mice as a significant predator of endangered and endemic birds. Further research is required to determine if the observed levels of mice predation are a regular occurrence. (C)2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.