Seychelles Magpie-robins interact with nesting Hawksbill Turtles

Cousin Island Special Reserve is a nesting hotspot of Hawksbill Turtles Eretmocheys imbricata. As part of on-going long-term monitoring, emerging females are observed and nests noted and marked. It has been observed in some seasons that Seychelles Magpie-robins Copsychus sechellarum have fed on turtle eggs that have been dug up by nesting female turtles. These novel observations were made again during the 2023/24 breeding season. Here we bring to attention this novel interaction between two species of interest.