


2019b), and of the abundance of various species ( Oppel et al. This was followed in the early 21st century by studies into the effect of introduced Pacific Rats Rattus exulans on Henderson's native fauna ( Brooke et al. The Sir Peter Scott Memorial Expedition in 1991–92 stationed researchers on Henderson Island for more than a year, and thoroughly studied the birds ( Brooke 1995a, b, Brooke & Jones 1995, Imber et al. There was some work in the late 1980s on Henderson's landbirds ( Graves 1992). The islands' avifauna have received considerable scientific attention, mainly focused on Henderson Island, beginning in the early 20th century ( North 1908, Ogilvie-Grant 1913), followed by the Whitney South Seas Expedition ( Murphy 1924, Murphy & Mathews 1929). Oeno and Ducie are low coral atolls, Henderson is a large raised coral island, and Pitcairn is volcanic in origin ( Spencer 1995).

The Pitcairn Islands are a UK Overseas Territory comprising four islands (Oeno, Pitcairn, Henderson and Ducie) spanning >600 km in eastern Polynesia, in the South Pacific Ocean.
