The Soufrière Hills Volcano became active in 1995 and resulted in the evacuation and imposition of an exclusion zone throughout the southern section of Montserrat. The port city of Plymouth was destroyed by pyroclastic flows and more than two-thirds of the island’s population were relocated, many to the United Kingdom.
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Icterus oberi - The Montserrat oriole is in critical danger of becoming extinct. Human encroachment and the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano have become combined threats to this bird’s survival. It is medium-sized, growing to a length of about 20 centimeters. Primarily an insectivore, the oriole does occasionally take nectar from the bracts of false-bird-of-paradise plants; bracts are modified leaves. Pairs are monogamous and typically produce two to three eggs per clutch; in a successful season, they are able to raise three broods.
