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THE PARROT SPECIES FIELD GUIDE · Psittaculidae

Mascarene Grey Parakeet

Psittacula bensoni

Meet the mascarene grey parakeet: its taxonomic place, natural range and conservation record.

Mascarene Grey Parakeet — Psittacula bensoni
Mascarene Grey Parakeet
SPECIES NOTES

A closer look.

Scientific names follow AviList v2025b. Read the taxonomy and source notes for changes in classification.

About this species

The Mascarene grey parakeet, Mauritius grey parrot, or Thirioux's grey parrot (Psittacula bensoni), is an extinct species of parrot which was endemic to the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius and Réunion in the western Indian Ocean. It has been classified as a member of the tribe Psittaculini, along with other parrots from the Islands. Subfossil bones of the Mascarene grey parakeet found on Mauritius were first described in 1973 as belonging to a smaller relative of the broad-billed parrot in the genus Lophopsittacus. Apart from their size, the bones were very similar to those of other Mascarene parrots.

Where it occurs

Formerly Mauritius and Réunion; extinct, last record from 1759.

Conservation record

AviList v2025b records this species as extinct, with the checklist noting Extinct. Assessments and taxonomy can change; follow the source checklist for updates.

Sources & image credit

Names, family, range and conservation record: AviList Core Team (2026), AviList v2025b, CC BY 4.0. Species summary: Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Image: Julian P. Hume. Original file and full credit · CC BY 4.0. Display size and encoding adjusted.