{"id":1515,"title":"Little vermilion flycatcher in decline","description":"The little vermilion flycatcher, along with the now extinct San Cristobal vermilion flycatcher, is endemic to Galapagos, which means it is found nowhere else on Earth. Whilst a favourite amongst locals and visitors alike, this brilliantly coloured songbird is declining at an alarming rate.","content":"

Little vermilion flycatcher<\/strong><\/p>

The little vermilion flycatcher, along with the now extinct San Cristobal vermilion flycatcher, is endemic to Galapagos, which means it is found nowhere else on Earth. Whilst a favourite amongst locals and visitors alike, this brilliantly coloured songbird is declining at an alarming rate.<\/p>

\"\"Why are they under threat?<\/strong><\/p>

The vermilion flycatcher, like many land birds in Galapagos, is under threat from invasive species. Rats are a serious problem, as they eat unhatched eggs and young birds, whilst the parasitic larvae of the introduced fly, Philornis downsii<\/em>, causes stunted growth and death in many young birds. The result is that the little vermilion flycatcher is now lost from Floreana island, close to disappearing on Santa Cruz and under threat on Isabela.<\/p>

In 2018, our project partners, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF), conducted research on the three remaining sites for little vermilion flycatchers to assess the current population sizes and threats to each. Whilst the invasive parasitic fly, P. downsi<\/em>, is one of the main drivers of population decline on two of the islands, on Santa Cruz, many of the nests showed few signs of P. downsi <\/em>infestation, which suggests that this might not be the reason behind low breeding success rates on this island.<\/p>

\"\"As the little vermilion flycatcher feeds on ground insects and therefore requires open spaces, one suggestion for their declines is an increase in the invasive blackberry plant, locally known as mora. This plant creates dense patches, which prevents successful feeding and is thought to be another reason for their dwindling numbers.<\/p>

What is GCT doing to help?<\/strong><\/p>

The ecosystem will be allowed to recover through the removal of the invasive blackberry plant and areas of ground will be left clear as feeding sites. The team will also reduce the pressure from invasive species, including both rats and P. downsii <\/em>larvae. Find out more about our work to help the land birds of Galapagos by following the links below:<\/p>