SAIPAN: I cannot imagine life without the Marianas Fruit Dove

For the birds? Yeah I'll get up early. After a late night of celebrating our friends beautiful wedding, my buddy and I got up a little (maybe a lot) after sunrise to hook up with some folks who were tagging birds. This morning we were boonie stomping around the Obyan area. The CNMI has some of the most beautiful, watchable birds around. We saw Rufous fantails (very vocal), Bridled white eyes (look much bigger in the trees – tiny down low) and Golden white eyes (gorgeous golden coloring - even prettier up close). No matter where you are, as long as you go at the right times, around sunrise or sunset, you'll probably see one of these cool looking birds or one of the many others inhabiting the CNMI. But threats like habitat loss and invasive species threaten to make these common sights uncommon. We need to better balance land development needs with conservation needs to ensure the survival of birds like the iconic Mariana Fruit Dove – with its bright red and green plumage. A CNMI without them would never be the same.

Posted by
Lisa Huynh Heller
3:37 pm
Monday, April 25, 2011
Location: Saipan, CNMI