Seychelles Black Parrot
Encyclopedia
The Seychelles Black Parrot, Praslin Parrot or Kato Nwar (Coracopsis nigra barklyi) is a sombre-coloured, medium-sized parrot endemic to the Seychelles
. It is usually treated as a subspecies
of the Lesser Vasa Parrot
, though it is sometimes considered a full species. It is the national bird of the Seychelles.
, where its breeding range is largely limited to the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, and, since 1988, on neighbouring Curieuse
where it has been seen feeding though not recorded as breeding. It inhabits woodland
, scrubland and garden
s.
, both wild and cultivated, as well as flower
s and buds. Wild foods include the fruits of the endemic palm
Vershaffeltia splendida, growing along the river valleys, as well as the flowers of the Coco de Mer
. Cultivated fruits utilised by the parrots include guava
, papaya
, mango
and, especially, bilimbi
crops, for which the birds have been persecuted by orchard
ists.
s, as well as in the nest box
es provided as part of a conservation management program.
s, and predation by introduced rats.
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
. It is usually treated as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Lesser Vasa Parrot
Lesser Vasa Parrot
The Lesser Vasa Parrot or Black Parrot Coracopsis nigra is a black coloured parrot native to Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and Seychelles. It is one of two species of vasa parrots, the other being the Greater Vasa Parrot C. vasa; although, the subspecies C. n...
, though it is sometimes considered a full species. It is the national bird of the Seychelles.
Description
The Seychelles Black Parrot is grey-brown in colouring. It is about 30 cm in length, smaller and paler than the 35 cm Lesser Vasa Parrot.Distribution and habitat
The parrot is found only on the islands of PraslinPraslin
Praslin is the second largest island of the Seychelles, lying 44 km north east of Mahé. Praslin has a population of around 6,500 people and comprises two administrative districts; Baie Sainte Anne and Grand' Anse . The main settlements are the Baie Ste Anne, Anse Volbert and Grand' Anse.It was...
, where its breeding range is largely limited to the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, and, since 1988, on neighbouring Curieuse
Curieuse Island
Curieuse Island is a small granitic island in the Seychelles close to the north coast of the island of Praslin. Curieuse is notable for its bare red earth intermingled with the unique Coco de Mer palms, one of the cultural icons of the Seychelles, only being present on the two islands.- History...
where it has been seen feeding though not recorded as breeding. It inhabits woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
, scrubland and garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s.
Feeding
The parrots’ diet is principally fruitFruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, both wild and cultivated, as well as flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s and buds. Wild foods include the fruits of the endemic palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
Vershaffeltia splendida, growing along the river valleys, as well as the flowers of the Coco de Mer
Coco de mer
The Coco de Mer , the sole member of the genus Lodoicea, is a palm endemic to the islands of Praslin and Curieuse in the Seychelles. It formerly also was found on St Pierre, Chauve-Souris and Ile Ronde in the Seychelles group, but has become extinct on these islands...
. Cultivated fruits utilised by the parrots include guava
Guava
Guavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...
, papaya
Papaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
, mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
and, especially, bilimbi
Bilimbi
Averrhoa bilimbi is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus Averrhoa, family Oxalidaceae. It is a close relative of the carambola.-Nomenclature:...
crops, for which the birds have been persecuted by orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
ists.
Breeding
The birds breed in tree hollowTree hollow
A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree. These are predominantly found in old trees, whether living or not...
s, as well as in the nest box
Nest box
A nest box, also spelled nestbox is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, in which case they are also called birdhouses, but some mammalian species may also use them. Birdhouses are the most common types of nest...
es provided as part of a conservation management program.
Status and conservation
The population of the Seychelles Black Parrot has declined to about 200–300 birds, with fewer than 100 breeding pairs, the result of both persecution and habitat loss. Although it is protected, it is threatened by illegal persecution outside the reserve as well as by competition for nesting hollows with Common MynaCommon Myna
The Common Myna or Indian Myna also sometimes spelled Mynah, is a member of family Sturnidae native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments...
s, and predation by introduced rats.