The Aldabra brush warbler is an extinct bird in the acrocephalid warbler family. It was endemic to the atoll of Aldabra in the Seychelles and an individual was last seen in 1983.
Region
Western Indian Ocean
Typical Environment
Historically confined to dense scrub and thickets on the coral limestone of Aldabra Atoll. It favored low, tangled vegetation near lagoon margins and coastal thickets where cover was continuous. The species kept close to the ground and used leaf litter and shaded understory for foraging. It was not recorded away from dense brush and avoided open shoreline or exposed woodland.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 10 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Aldabra brush warbler was a skulking acrocephalid warbler that lived only on the remote Aldabra Atoll of the Seychelles. It declined rapidly during the 20th century and was last confirmed in 1983, after which intensive searches failed to find any survivors. Its disappearance is linked to habitat changes on low coral islands and likely impacts from introduced predators. It serves as a cautionary example of how small, island-restricted birds are highly vulnerable to disturbance.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low dashes between cover
Social Behavior
Typically observed singly or in territorial pairs, keeping to dense cover. Likely monogamous with nesting low in thick scrub where a cup nest would be well concealed. Territorial song posts were within a small home range, and birds rarely ventured into open areas.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A simple, scratchy warble interspersed with churring scolds and thin whistles. Phrases were repetitive and delivered from inside cover, making the singer hard to locate.
