Seychelles Warbler
The Seychelles Warbler (Acrocephalus
sechellensis), also known as the Seychelles brush warbler, is a small bird living
on the Seychelles islands. It can be found in forests and woodlands, where it
nests in trees. The warbler has a brown back, a light underside, and a
distinctive dark eye stripe. Its diet consists mainly of insects and other
invertebrates that it finds by probing into the soil or pouncing upon prey from
low bushes or branches. It defends itself against predators by mimicking the
calls of other local species.
The warbler’s population is threatened; however, the numbers since
1968 have increased. During 1968 there were a mere 29 known birds in the wild.
Today the number has increased to over 3 000, saving it from extinction. The
decrease in numbers is due to habitat loss caused by development projects such as
road building, tourist developments, and agricultural expansion.
Seychelles Magpie-robin
The Seychelles magpie-robin is the national bird of the country
and is endemic to it. This medium-sized bird is a member of the oriole family,
which also includes crows and jays. Magpie-robins are black and white birds
with long tails that they spread as they fly around their territory. The bill
is black, as are the legs and feet. The males have bright orange cheeks that
help them attract mates during the breeding season!
The Seychelles magpie-robin lives in forested areas where trees
provide protection from predators, like cats or owls. They are a monogamous
species (meaning they only have one mate), so you will often find them paired
up together during mating season from February to March each year! That said,
this bird is the most endangered of all the native birds on the Seychelles. For
instance, in 1981, there were only 18 birds, all located on Frégate island, with
reintroduction to other islands mostly unsuccessful. However, the abandonment
of agriculture on Frégate island has assisted in restoring the numbers to some
degree.
Seychelles Paradise flycatcher
The Seychelles Paradise flycatcher (or the Vev in Creole) is
endemic to La Digue and resides in thick woodlands and forests. The bird’s diet
consists mostly of insects, but it also eats berries, fruit, and seeds when
available.
The male Paradise flycatcher has a bright blue head with black ear
coverts (the feathers over its ears). Its wings are black with white spots,
while its tail feathers are a shiny greenish-blue colour with red tips on some
tail feathers.
The female has less blue colouring than does the male and instead
has more brown markings on its body along with green spots near the neck that
extend down onto its breasts. This makes them appear as though they are
wearing a necklace.
However, these birds are highly endangered. Rats and cats on La
Digue are the main causes of the low numbers. Some attempts have been made to relocate
some of the birds to other islands. Still, this native remains critically
endangered.
Seychelles Sunbird
The Seychelles sunbird is a small, slender, but rather drab brown
bird, with a long down-curved bill. It is a common bird in the Seychelles and
can be found on the islands of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. This small bird is
named after Jean-Jacques Dussumier, a French explorer.
Not an endangered species, the sunbird can be found feeding on
nectar from various plants from hibiscus flowers in woodlands to domestic
gardens. A male sunbird may have several mates during its lifetime. Even if you
can’t spot them, you can hear their mix of scratchy and squeaky notes.
Praslin Scops Owl
The Praslin Scops owl is a small compact owl with a short tail and
ear tufts that are so small they are invisible.
This owl is a mere 19 to 22 cm in height on average, with a wingspan of 17
cm. The bare-legged scops owl might not be the smallest rare bird species in
the world or even the largest, but its low numbers are concerning. The plumage does
not appear as anything special − the bare-legged scops owl has a mostly rufous
brown colouring mixed in with streaks of black.
In 1906 it was believed that this owl was extinct; however, in
1956 one was spotted. Today there are around 330 individuals but their low numbers
are extremely concerning. This owl is therefore a very rare bird in the world.
Seychelles Black Parrot
The black parrot is endemic to the granitic Seychelles islands,
particularly Praslin, and is severely threatened. This bird is also referred to
as the Praslin parrot. The bird is medium-sized and sombre-coloured. Although it
appears black, it is rather a dark grey colour. The black parrot will nest and
breed in old hollow trees, and live on a diet of mostly fruit. Their liking for
fruit has made them enemies of the locals, especially those with mango and
other fruit trees. This has reduced their numbers, and currently, there are only
around 600 mature birds on the Seychelles.
Now you know the endemic bird species of the Seychelles!
If you are an ornithologist, then the Seychelles should be on your
list of places to visit. More so, if you are looking to see rare bird species,
then this small archipelago located in the Indian Ocean is a must. The best way
to see as many birds as possible is to do some island hopping as some species
are only on one particular island. However, besides the native birds, there are
also several migrant birds that come annually to the islands. These include the
ruddy turnstone, whimbrel, greater and lesser sand plover, grey plover, crab
plover, common ringed plover, curlew sandpiper, common sandpiper, sanderling,
bar-tailed godwit, Eurasian curlew, barn swallow, and common greenshank. There
are also various vagrant bird species, for instance, the common cuckoo, the broad-billed
roller, the European and blue-cheeked bee-eater, sand martin, northern
wheatear, willow warbler, collared and black-winged pratincole, Eleanora’s
falcon and the Eurasian hobby.
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