The Late Glacial and Holocene avifauna of the island of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Bird bones from unconsolidated sediments provide a record of the changing avifauna of St Helena from the Late Glacial, at ~ 14 000 BP, until the present. Changes in avifauna apparently reflect climatic and associated ecological conditions, as well as the effects of human occupation since the island was discovered in 1502. Introduced mammals decimated birds in the seventeenth century and seven endemic species are now extinct, while seven other species are locally extinct. Atleast nine species that now breed on St Helena have been introduced anthropogenically to the island since it was discovered. The failure to find evidence of native songbirds in the former woodlands of the interior of the island deserves explanation.

Key words:

• St Helena
• Atlantic Ocean
• ornithology
• avifauna
• seabirds
• extinction
• endemic species
• Late Glacial
• Holocene