Abbott's booby  (Papasula abbotti)

Phosphate mining on Christmas Island in the 1960s and 70s caused the destruction of a third of Abbott's booby nesting habitat and has led to the subsequent deterioration of the remaining forest (4). Birds are strongly attached to nest sites, and clearings are more exposed to wind turbulence, which has a detrimental effect on breeding success and causes higher adult mortality (6). Recent development proposals for the island have again raised concern over the viability of remaining breeding habitat (5).

The majority of Abbott's booby nest sites occur within the Christmas Island National Park, which was established in 1980 and covers 63 percent of the island (6). Nest site locations are monitored and the regeneration of previously cleared forest has occurred on much of the island (5). Although mining was resumed in 1990, it only involved the reworking of previously mined areas (6). The continued preservation, and ban on clearing, of the unique Christmas Island rainforest will be the key to the future viability of the Abbott's booby population (5).