Seychelles Parakeet

Seychelles Parakeet
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Psittacula
Species: P. wardi
Binomial name
Psittacula wardi
(E. Newton, 1867)

The Seychelles Parakeet (Psittacula wardi) occurred in the Indian ocean islands of the Seychelles group. It resembled the Alexandrine Parakeet but was smaller and lacked the pink colour in its collar. The species is suspected to have become extinct due to intense persecution by farmers and coconut plantation owners.

It was endemic to Mahé and Silhouette and was once sighted on Praslin. It was rare when described even in 1867. The last specimens were collected by Warry in 1881, and the last birds recorded in captivity on Silhouette in 1883. Ten specimens exist today.[1] The species was extinct by 1906.

References

  1. ^ http://julianhume.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Hume-Mascarene-Parrots.pdf

External links