Skip to content
THE PARROT SPECIES FIELD GUIDE · Psittaculidae

Seychelles Parakeet

Psittacula wardi

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

Seychelles Parakeet — Psittacula wardi
Seychelles 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 Seychelles parakeet or Seychelles Island parrot (Psittacula wardi) is an extinct species of parrot that was endemic to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. It was scientifically named Palaeornis wardi by the British ornithologist Edward Newton in 1867, and the specific name honours the British civil commissioner Swinburne Ward who procured the specimens that formed the basis for the description. It was found on the islands of Mahé, Silhouette, and possibly Praslin. Ten skin specimens exist today, but no skeletons. Though the species was later moved to the genus Psittacula, genetic studies have led some researchers to suggest it should belong in a reinstated Palaeornis along with the closely related Alexandrine parakeet (P. eupatria) of Asia.

Where it occurs

Formerly Seychelles; extinct, last reported 1900.

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: John Gerrard Keulemans (1842–1912). Original file and full credit · Public domain. Display size and encoding adjusted.