Four Examples of Nest Predation by Rats - Hawaii Volcanoes National

Black rats were unintentionally introduced to Hawai’i in the late 1800s, most likely as hitchhikers on trading vessels. Since their introduction, they have disrupted native ecosystems by destroying native plants, eating native arthropods, and depredating bird nests. Black rats have contributed to population declines and species extinctions of Hawaiian forest birds, and they continue to pose threats to native species like the ‘elepaio. The USGS is evaluating rat control as a management tool to improve the breeding success of native birds, and to facilitate native plant regeneration to recover native ecosystems.