Introduction

Réunion is the largest and least ecologically disturbed of the Mascarene Islands, but has nevertheless lost more of its original avifauna than Mauritius (Chapter 1). Only the Réunion Cuckoo-shrike Coracina newtoni is rare and at risk, and for that reason more time was devoted to it than to the other species. Gill (1971a, 1973b) has considered the ecology of the two native white-eyes Zosterops spp., and Clouet (1976, 1978) has studied the harrier Circus maillardi, but little other ecological work has been published since that of Pollen (Schlegel & Pollen 1868). Berlioz (1946) compiled a check-list, which Milon (1951) corrected and augmented, and more recently an identification guide has appeared (Barré & Barau 1982). Barré's important paper (1983) appeared too late for full consideration here.

I visited Réunion five times during 1973-5, for a total of 12 weeks: 29 October to 12 November 1973, 25 April to 26 May, 7-27 August (with my brother, Dr R. A. Cheke (RAQ), and 1-26 November (with Ms R. E. Ashcroft (REA)) 1974, with a very brief stopover, 12-14 February 1975.1 made a further short visit from 10 to 12 October 1978. Dr A. W. Diamond (AWD) was on the island in January 1975, and has kindly allowed me to use his notes on his visit to the Plaine des Chicots; I have also been able to use information from M. Harry Gruchet (HG), curator of the natural history museum in St.-Denis, M. Charles Armand Barau (CAB), M. Théophane Bègue (TB), gamekeeper at the Plaine des Chicots, Dr M. de L. Brooke (MdeLB), M. Nicolas Barré (NB), Dr Michel Clouet (MC), Mr M. J. E. Coode (MJEC), M. Emile Hugot (EH), M. Bertrand Trolliet (BT) and Messrs A. Forbes-Watson, S. Keith and D. A. Turner (cited as AFW).