Impact of Pied Crows Corvus albus at Malgas, Jutten, Dassen and Robben Islands, Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Pied Crows Corvus albus were first observed on Robben Island in 1987, on Dassen Island in 1997, on Malgas Island in October 2008, and on Jutten Island in 2011. On both Malgas and Jutten Islands, pairs of Pied Crows bred in disused guano sheds. Prey items were collected, identified and counted; they were mainly eggs of seabird species in threat categories. On both Jutten and Malgas Islands the recommended strategy is to eliminate nest sites for Pied Crows on the islands, and on the adjacent mainland. Dassen and Robben Islands are relatively far from the mainland, and a culling strategy is recommended, especially because these islands have important breeding colonies of the Critically Endangered African Penguin Spheniscus demersus.