A little over two hundred years ago, there were no humans living permanently in Seychelles. When settlement occurred, people naturally brought with them the animals and plants they needed to survive; livestock like cattle and pigs, crops such as rice, maize and cotton. Ever since, more and more species have been introduced, some to help people survive, others simply for interest or as ornament. Some of these species, when introduced to a new environment in Seychelles, have thrived, while others have died out, and some have done well for a period, becoming quite common before becoming extinct for some reason.
Many of the birds that were introduced in the early years were species that had been brought in as cage birds, such as Barred Ground Dove, Madagascar Fody and Waxbills. Most of these are seed-eating birds, and they would have found it difficult to find enough food in the natural forests of Seychelles. As people cut this forest down and converted it into gardens and fields, conditions were made more suitable for many of the introduced birds. Now, most of the birds you see in and around villages and gardens are introduced species, not native ones.
