Mascarene parrot (SciiFii)

The Mascarene parrot or mascarin (Mascarinus mascarinus) is a species of parrot that is native to the Mascarene island of Réunion in the western Indian Ocean. The Mascarene parrot was once extinct since between the 1700s 1800s, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to the Réunion to help boost biodiversity. The Mascarene parrot is 35 cm (14 inches) in length with a large red bill and long, rounded tail feathers. Its legs are red, and it has naked red skin around the eyes and nostrils. It has a black facial mask and partially white tail feathers. The parrot can range from having an ash grey body and a bluish lilac head to a brown body and a blueish-grey head, depending on a subspecies, and the white part of the tail has two dark central feathers. It is an unspecialized that primarily feeds on fruits, nuts, and seeds native to Réunion. Unlike most parrots, the Mascarene parrot is a solitary bird in most of its life except during breeding seasons. The conservation status of the Mascarene parrot is Vulnerable due to some habitat loss and, historically, poaching and invasive species, however, thanks to conservationists, the Mascarene parrots are making a comeback, due to the complete eradication of invasive predators and non-native egg-eating animals such as rats and pigs from Réunion.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii