Funafuti Marine Conservation Area, Tuvalu. Report of the Bird Survey 1998

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Funafuti Marine Conservation Area, Tuvalu. Report of the Bird Survey 1998

A survey of the birds of the Funafuti Marine Conservation Area (FMCA), Tuvalu and adjacent waters and motu, was undertaken between 31st September and 11 October 1998 by Dick Watling and staff of the FMCA.

Sixteen bird species were observed and four were found to be breeding. The survey was undertaken outside of the main wader season but during what was believed to be the breeding season of several seabirds. This report documents the observations by species and by motu. It discusses the management issues and provides recommendations for monitoring and other initiatives by FMCA staff and SPREP.

The overall abundance of seabirds was considered to be well below what might be expected, however, this was a highly subjective assessment in the absence of any baseline or prior reliable observations or data. It does, however, corroborate anecdotal accounts in Tuvalu of a reduction in the seabird populations.