Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species was endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia, but it is now Extinct due to overpredation by introduced rats. It was last recorded in 1908, and not found on a survey in 1928.
Population justification
No extant population remains.
Zosterops strenuus was endemic to lowland forests on Lord Howe Island, Australia (Stattersfield et al. 1998). It was very common before 1918 (McAllan et al. 2004), with the last records coming from 1908 (Hull 1909), but it plummeted to extinction following the arrival of Black Rats Rattus rattus on the island in 1918 (Hindwood 1940, Hume 2017). It could not be found in 1928 (Sharland 1929).
It inhabited lowland forest, palm glades and the scrubby vegetation of more open and settled areas. It probably fed on fruit, insects, flowers and other birds' eggs (Garnett et al. 2011).
The cause of its extinction was predation by Black Rats.
Text account compilers
Vine, J.
Contributors
Brooks, T., Khwaja, N. & Mahood, S.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Robust White-eye Zosterops strenuus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/robust-white-eye-zosterops-strenuus on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.