Newton's Parakeet - Extinction

Extinction

The species' extinction was presumably caused by a combination of habitat loss and hunting.

Only two complete specimens, one male and one female, survive and they are both in the Cambridge University Museum. The female specimen was sent by Sir Edward Newton, a colonial administrator in Mauritius, to his brother Alfred Newton, who officially described the bird in 1872. Mr Vandorous shot the male specimen in 1875, which is thought to be a juvenile from its beak colouration and from the lack of a red patch on the shoulder of its wings. There are also various subfossil bones.

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