Birdwatching in Mauritius

An impressive variety of rarest birds can be found in the forests of Mauritius.

Mauritius is constantly working on the conservation of its fauna and today the island is the home for some of the world’s rarest birds. Mauritius kestrel, Pink Pigeon, Mauritius Cuckoo-Shrike, the Mauritius Bulbul, and Mauritius Olive White-Eye are only a few of the unique birds which can be found on the island.

The pink pigeon is a species of pigeon in the family Columbidae endemic to Mauritius. The pink pigeon nearly became extinct in the 1990s and is still very rare. It is the only Mascarene pigeon that has not gone extinct.

Native only to Mauritius, the Mauritius kestrel was historically found throughout the island. By the early 1970s, its range was reduced to the mountainous Black River Gorges in southwestern Mauritius. Kestrels occupy territories of about three square kilometres in both upland and lowland native forest.

The Mauritius cuckooshrike is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is endemic to Mauritius. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The Mauritius Olive White-eye can reach a size of about 10 cm. The upper parts are a dull olive-green, the underparts a paler colour. The belly and vent have a yellow hue and the eyes are surrounded by a conspicuous white ring. The males and females are similarly coloured. The habitat of the Mauritius olive white-eye is the evergreen bushes and forests in the area of the Black River Gorges National Park and the Macchabée-Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve. Its diet consists of nectar and insects.