BrokenWing Chronicles
Seychelles Magpie Robin
Copsychus sechellarum
The Seychelles Magpie Robin Copsychus sechellarum is an endemic bird of the Seychelles and is one of the rarest birds on earth. Between the 1950s and 1990s, the whole world population was restricted to Frégate Island and at times came very close to extinction, it was classed as critically endangered in the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Animals.
The SMR was historically recorded on at least seven islands in the Seychelles, and was probably found on all of the larger and medium sized Granitic Islands. It is very sensitive to the activities of man. The clearance of forest resulting in loss of habitat, the introduction of alien predators (for example cats depredate adults, and rats and Mynah birds Acridotheres tristis depredate nests) and as the birds became rarer, the collection of specimens for museums resulted in extinction from all islands except Frégate. A population was introduced to Alphonse where they prevailed until cats were introduced in the 1950s, soon after the population became extinct.

Territorial
SMR is highly territorial and largely monogamous, long-lived species with estimated adult survival of over 15 years. It lays a single egg in a well-built nest located in a tree hole or coconut crown and readily adapts to nest-boxes. The female typically does most incubation. Incubation lasts for around 18 days and a similar period for the nestling period. Both sexes feed the dependent young in the nest and for around 2-3 months after leaving the nest. Young birds are poor fliers immediately after leaving the nest and are then most vulnerable to predation. They spend most time low to the ground well concealed vegetation. Most young stay within the parental territory until adult moult, which occurs after about a year.


http://www.natureseychelles.org/inde...ask=view&id=44

Video
http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/bi...s_sechellarum/