Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Alexandrinus exsul (Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International 2020) was previously listed as Psittacula exsul (del Hoyo et al. 2014). Braun et al. (2019) report the situation where the parrot genera Psittinus, Tanygnathus and Mascarinus nest genetically within Psittacula, meaning that either Psittacula replaces these latter three genera or it breaks down into monophyletic genera of their own. The latter course is preferred, building on Braun et al. (2016), where several genera were established, including Alexandrinus for P. krameri, P. eques and P. exsul.
Taxonomic source(s)
Brooks, T. 2000. Extinct species. In: BirdLife International (ed.), Threatened Birds of the World, pp. 701-708. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona and Cambridge, U.K.
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2020. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 5. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
unknown |
Land-mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: None remain.
Trend justification: The species appeared to be abundant in 1691-93 (Leguat 1708), but by the time the first specimen was recieved in 1871 (Newton 1872), it was apparently scarce. Only one individual was seen in forests on the south-western side of Rodrigues (Slater 1879), and few were seen in 1875 (Caldwell 1875) when the last specimen was collected (Newton and Newton 1876). The remaining population was likely wiped out by a series of cyclones which struck the island in 1876 (Cheke 1987). The species was reportedly good to eat (Leguat 1708), so hunting also likely contributed to their decline.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rodrigues Parakeet Alexandrinus exsul. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rodrigues-parakeet-alexandrinus-exsul on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.