These four bird pests are indicative of the nature of present and
possible future bird pest problems in the Dominican Republic and other
Caribbean islands. Of the four, only the woodpecker is indigene. The
others are relatively recent arrivals. Man introduced the Madame
Sarah with the slave trade from Africa in the 1800's and it soon
became well established on the island. The Lonchura punctulata may
also have been brought directly by man or it could have arrived from
Puerto Rico where it was introduced. The shiny or glossy cowbird is a
recent arrival in the West Indies, but this is probably the result of
a natural expansion of its range.

Pest mammals

Rodents are the principal mammal pests. They cause damage to almost
all the crops of the island, from tomatoes to coffee to coconut, as
well as infesting stored products and dwellings. The species have
been identified as R. rattus, R. norvegicus, and Mus musculus, all of
the family Muridae, and all introduced from Europe early in the
recorded history of the island by the conquistadores. The mongoose
(Herpestes spp.) was introduced as a biological control for rats but
it has become a pest as well. It causes serious damage in poultry
farms and is the principal vector of rabies.

Limited trapping surveys indicate that R. norvegicus is the species
infesting rice and similar ground crops while R. rattus is found in
cacao, coffee, and coconut. In cities and rural dwellings, all three
species are found.

It can be clearly seen that man has created his own problems by intro-
ducing new species to the delicate ecological balance of an island.
In the Dominican Republic, six of the eight principal vertebrate pests
have been introduced by man.