INTER-ISLAND DISPERSAL OF THE MARIANA COMMON MOORHEN - A RECOLONIZATION BY AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

Mariana Common Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus guami) rapidly colonized a human-made wetland on the Island of Rota in Micronesia. Although pre historic evidence suggests that moorhens once occurred on Rota, the hi storic lack of wetland habitat prior to construction of an artificial wetland apparently precluded more recent occupation. This recolonizati on demonstrates that moorhens can rapidly exploit newly available habi tat by dispersing significant distances (at least 77 km) over open oce an.