Rare songbird fights back from brink of extinction and found to be thriving in habitat used by Navy for bomb practice



Numbers of the rare San Clemente Island loggerhead shrike thriving

The endangered songbird had been threatened with extinction

But a US Navy investment programme has helped it bounce back



One of North America's rarest birds has fought back from the brink of extinction and is enjoying a renaissance - on a rocky outcrop used by the US Navy as a firing range.

The San Clemente Island loggerhead shrike is thriving on the rocky outcrop off the Californian coast, known as the 'boom box'.



In the 90s its numbers had dwindled to just seven breeding pairs, but now there are believed to be 70 on the island.

Back from the brink: A San Clemente Island loggerhead shrike chirps away in its enclosure at a facility on San Clemente Island

It is a remarkable success story given the black, grey and white songbird shares its home with an area that is regularly bombed by US Navy battleships.



The Navy itself has claimed credit for the shrikes survival after it launched a $3-million-a-year captive breeding programme to protect the threatened species, according to a report in the Telegraph.

Where once the volcanic island was pitted with craters, the investment programme has allowed native plants to be reintroduced, such as the Channel Island tree mallow.



Warhead: An old target from the days of extensive Navy bombardments now decorates the scenic coast

Vital work: Wildlife biologist Melissa Booker is helping to protect a variety of endangered species on San Clemente Island Navy biologist Melissa Booker said: 'The shrike seems to be unaffected by the loud noises. Ms Booker added: 'Some places that resembled cratered moonscapes are now covered with native shrubs so thick it's hard to wade through them.' Snipers have been told to the nests of endangered birds, such as the shrike. The nests of western snowy plovers have even been moved out of the way of tanks.

Aid: The US Navy injects $3million each year to help protect the wildlife on the island, such as the shrike

Saved: Botanists have prevented the Channel Island tree mallow from being wiped out on San Clemente Island too

San Clemente Island fox numbers have also bounced back from just a few hundred 10 years ago to about 1,100

And the Navy is now trying to get the San Clemente night lizard taken off the endangered species list, after numbers increased.



According to the Pentagon, $73 million was spent on protecting more than 400 species across an area of 28 million acres last year. They are making the investment to avoid possible confrontations with conservationists.

Commander Christopher Kirby, the officer in charge of San Clemente, said: 'If we were to abuse the island, we would lose it.' Noah Greenwald of the Center for Biological Diversity, said: 'They're doing some good things for endangered species, which is great, but there are activities that are really damaging to the environment at the same time.'

Botanist: Bryan Munson stands in the middle of brush that's critical to survival of various creatures including the loggerhead shrike on San Clemente Island

Danger: A sign warns visitors of the dangers involved when entering the seaside hills of San Clemente Island



