THE SEYCHELLES LIST
At 1st December 2016, 275 species have been accepted to the Seychelles list maintained by SBRC. This comprises 62 breeding species, 28 annual migrants, 175 vagrants and ten extinct species (four of which were introduced and became established until eradicated or died out naturally).
To view or download the Seychelles list click the following link:
THE SEYCHELLES LIST

Resident Grey Heron inspects visiting African Spoonbill (Adrian Skerrett)

November 2016: SBRC accepted African Spoonbill Platalea alba as the first record for Seychelles.
One at various locations on a 5 kilometre stretch of tidal flats from Providence, Mahé to a tidal stream near L’Ecole Francaise, Victoria, Mahé from 5 October to 24 November 2016 (L Soerensen, N Bomholt, M van Dinther, C Onezia, J Souyave, S Agricole, AP Skerrett, A Rocamora).

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SBRC accepted 3 new species to the Seychelles list in March 2016. These were:
1. A 1cy Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia in flight over the plateau area of Aride on 30 December 2015 (N Pluchon, M Curran, J Michel, U Samedi, E Palmer).
2. A Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus race fuscus (‘Caspian Reed Warbler’), which landed on a fly-fishing skiff at St Francois on 11 November 2015 (W Haselau).
3. A female Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis at a freshwater pool and an adjacent muddy area, Ile Perseverance, Mahe, 30-31 January 2016 (C Onezia, J Souyave, AP Skerrett).

From left to right: Eurasian Spoonbill (Nicholas Pluchon), Eurasian Reed Warbler (Wayne Haselau), Greater Painted-Snipe (Adrian Skerrett).

A 1CY Common Teal Anas crecca  at La Passe, Silhouette, 7 December 2015-21 January 2016 (E. Nancy, B. Moncherry) has been accepted as the 269th species for Seychelles

In April 2015, a Rufous Vanga Schetba rufa was reported from Aldabra. This remarkable sighting has been accepted by SBRC as the first record for Seychelles of this species.

In February 2014, after examination of skins at Tring,  a  record of Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus at Hirondelle, Bird on 23 November 2012 was accepted (NJ Phillips, VE Phillips, TR Bresson), bringing the toal number of species recorded to 267

Two new species were accepted by SBRC in May 2013. These were Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta at Bird Island on 23 November 2012 and Madagascar Kingfisher Alcedo vintsioides at Aldabra on 20 March 2013 bringing the total number of recorded species to 266.

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Pied Avocet at Bird (John Phillips)

Madagascar Kingfisher at Aldabra (Calum Ferguson)

Lesser Moorhen at Desroches (Tony Jupiter)

Richard's Pipit at Assumption (Chris Feare)

Red Knot at Alphonse (Aurelie Duhec)

Three new species for Seychelles were accepted in January 2013. These were:
 1. A juvenile Lesser Moorhen Gallinula
angulata at Desroches (T Jupiter. 
2. An adult Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi 
at Assumption found by (CJ Feare and J Linnebjerg)
3. An adult Red Knot Calidris canutus at Alphonse found by (A Duhec).
4. A Red-billed Duck Anas erythrorhyncha
at Aldabra (J Souyave & D Rose).

In addition Round Island Petrel Pterodroma arminjoniana was accepted to the Seychelles List based on geolocator evidence. See the full report here.

 

The 258th and 259th records for Seychelles, both at Aldabra within a matter of weeks: Namaqua Dove in December 2011 (left, photo Michal Sur)  and Red-billed Duck in January 2012 (right, photo Joel Souyave)

Spur-winged Lapwing at Mahe: The 256th species on the Seychelles list (Adrian Skerrett)

Knob-billed Ducks at Aldabra: The 257th species for Seychelles (Philip Haupt)