The impacts of introduced House Mice on the breeding success of nesting seabirds on Gough Island

Invasive House Mice significantly reduce the breeding success of seabirds on Gough Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and vital seabird colony. Annual losses reach up to 1.7 million eggs or chicks, with seven species experiencing particularly high mortality likely due to intense mouse predation. Below-ground and winter-breeding species are most affected, as mice have fewer alternative food sources in winter and smaller chicks are easier prey. The study used field data and statistical models to compare Gough Island's seabird populations with those on predator-free islands, revealing critical threats to endemic and near-endemic species like MacGillivray's Prion, Atlantic Petrel, and Tristan Albatross, which face potential extinction without mouse removal.

Caravaggi, A., Cuthbert, R. J., Ryan, P. G., Cooper, J., & Bond, A. L. (2018). The impacts of introduced House Mice on the breeding success of nesting seabirds on Gough Island. Ibis, 161(3), 648–661. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12664