In 1984, Arendt and Arendt estimated that about 1000-1200 Montserrat Orioles were present on the island, but that number was likely an underestimate (Evans 1990). Initial surveys suggested that much of the population had survived the eruptions, with healthy numbers remaining in the Centre Hills and a smaller relict population in the South Soufrière hills. These surveys were confirmed by scientists publishing in the journal Bird Conservation International who extrapolated that the population must contain around 4,000 individuals. But between 1997 and 2003, the population declined very rapidly. Thankfully, later surveys discovered a remnant population occupying an area of just one to two square kilometres in the South Soufrière hills. Since 2010 there has been a reduction in volcanic activity, and improved efforts in surveying since 2011 have shown that the oriole's population is currently stable or mildly increasing. In 2012, abundance estimates derived from repeated point counts coupled with the assumption of birds using a 100 m radius of forest around each sampling station yielded a total population estimate of 765 birds (95% CI: 492 - 1345), with 540 birds (95% CI: 377 - 902) in the Centre Hills and 225 birds (95% CI: 115 - 442) in the South Soufriere Hills.