A major myna problem; invasive predator removal benefits female survival and population growth of a translocated island endemic

Invasive predators are a major driver of extinctions and continue to threaten native populations worldwide. Island eradications of (mostly mammalian) invasive predators have facilitated the reestablishment of numerous island-endemic populations. Other invasive taxa, such as some predatory birds, could pose a more persistent threat due to their ability to fly and actively re-invade even remote and isolated islands. However, the impact of invasive predatory birds has been largely overlooked. We report on a novel sex-specific impact of an invasive-nest predator, the common myna (Acridotheres tristis), on a reintroduced population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis); translocated from Cousin Island to Denis Island in 2004. Regular post-translocation monitoring revealed that female mortality was 20 % higher than males, leading to a 60–70 % male-biased population sex-ratio between 2005 and 2015. This was attributed to common mynas inflicting severe injuries to incubating female..., Please refer to the methods section of the manuscript.,