Falklands Conservation and the Falkland Islands Government have produced a Species Action Plan (384kb PDF) to protect Cobb’s Wren, a bird found only in the Falkland Islands. This follows on from a workshop held in September 2008, set up to formulate actions and agree a long term vision for its survival.

Cobb’s wren (Troglodytes cobbi) is a small passerine bird found only on offshore islands that are free of introduced rodents, cats and foxes, where it forages on boulder beaches. Little is known about its breeding biology and distribution because there have been few surveys and studies specifically for Cobb’s wren. It is exactly 100 years ago that it was first named as a separate species.

It is confirmed as present and probably breeding on 57 islands in the Falklands archipelago, with an estimated population of 6,000 pairs. Although this appears to be substantial and may sound secure, further accidental introductions of mammalian predators could eliminate any of these island populations. This is reflected in its current IUCN Vulnerable status as a threatened bird.

Two major threats influence its ability to survive long-term - the introduction of invasive mammals such as rodents and cats and a shortage of detailed information about its biology and habitat requirements to guide appropriate management. The Plan sets out focused and prioritised actions to ensure that the current island populations have a maximum chance of survival, of increasing their existing range and reducing their vulnerability. More than 30 tasks are listed, with top priority given to the investigation of more offshore islands to inform planning of further rat eradications and assessment of the likelihood of unaided recolonisation by Cobb’s wren after clearance.