Seychelles Magpie Robin

The Seychelles Magpie-Robin (Copsychus sechellarum) is a medium-sized endangered bird from the granitic Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

This species of magpie robin is approximately 25 cm in length. It has a glossy coal-black plumage with a white-colored bar on each wings. It is considered a long-lived species whose lifespan is over 15 years of age. Its habitat is woodlands, plantations and the vicinity of gardens. Their range on the island of Fregate was limited by the area of open ground with leaf litter.

Historically it is believed to have existed on most of the granitic Seychelles islands. Destruction of habitat and introduced predators (domestic cats and rats) greatly reduced its numbers. By 1970, it was on the brink of extinction with only 16 individuals remaining, all on Frégate Island. Over the next two decades it had managed to stave off extinction, but its population in 1990 was still only 21 individuals. In 1990 BirdLife International began preservation efforts to save the magpie robin. Birds were transferred to Cousin in 1994 and to Cousine in 1995. Further transfers followed to Aride Island in 2002 and Denis Island in 2008.

Today there are established populations of magpie robins on all five islands. As of 2012, the total population was 244-248 birds (Frégate- 115), (Cousin- 38), (Cousine- 31), (Aride- 24), (Denis- 36-40) and the IUCN has downlisted its status from Critically Endangered to Endangered.