Seychelles Fody Foudia sechellarum

Identification. The Seychelles Fody, locally known as toc-toc due to its calls, is the least coloured fody species. Adult male toc-tocs (photo) are mostly olive-grey with the back and wings slightly darker and streaked. The forehead, crown and throat are dull yellow, to a varying extent. The male has a faded black eye-stripe rather than a well-defined one typical of other fodies. Adult female (photo) and juvenile toc-tocs are mostly olive-grey in colour with a slightly darker back and wings. An unusual feature in this species is the variable number of white primary coverts in many males and some females (see photos here).

Distribution. The Seychelles Fody is present on six islands: Cousin, Cousine, Fregate, Aride (reintroduced in 2002), d’Arros (introduced in 1965) and Denis (introduced 2004). The map above shows some of these islands circled in red; d’Arros is far to the left off the map, and Denis far to the north. Before European settlement it was probably widely distributed in the Seychelles, but only confirmed from Marianne, Cousin, Cousine and Fregate. By the 1940s it was extinct on Marianne. The increase in the Cousin lsland population, and successful reintroduction to Aride and Denis lslands resulted in the fody being downlisted from Vulnerable to Near threatened.

Habitat. The Seychelles Fody inhabits highly modified habitats such as human settlements, coconut and Casuarina plantations, and other exotic vegetation types. Originally it was probably restricted to native humid forest, in which it still occurs on Cousin and Aride, including hill and marsh areas.

Food. The toc-toc is mainly insectivorous but also feeds on seed, fruit and nectar. It may be unique among weavers in its habit of rarely feeding on the eggs of seabirds.

Breeding. The Seychelles Fody is a socially monogamous weaver. The peak breeding season, between May and October, coincides with the southeast monsoon or dry season but toc-tocs may breeding all year round. One, but more often two eggs are laid in a globular, enclosed, woven nest (photo) and incubation is done entirely by the female. Both sexes participate in nest building, nestling and fledgling care. After fledging, parents attend their young for an average of 12 weeks, much longer than in other weavers.

An interesting study found post-fledging brood division between the sexes on Cousin, i.e. the parent male feeds male fledglings and the parent female feeding male fledglings; single fledglings are cared for only by the female parent; in the few observed broods with 2 female offspring, the male parent cares for one of them.

Nest predators that have been recorded are: gecko, Wright’s Skink, Seychelles wolf snake, and Common myna.

See a video clip of the antics of a pair of Seychelles Fodies collecting nest material here.

The oldest known Seychelles Fody is at least 14 years old (see here).

Breeding season
May-Sept with clearly defined moult and breeding seasons, on Cousin; has been suggested also that breeding occurs throughout year, with no fixed season, individuals sometimes nesting at intervals of more than 12 months

Nest site
supported by twigs (rather than suspended) at 2-25 m above ground in tree

Nest building
built mostly by male but female contributing throughout

Colony size
no information

Clutch size
1-2 eggs

Egg colour
pure white

Egg size
average size of nine eggs 18.7 x 14.5 mm

Incubation
incubation by female only, period 14 days

Chicks and nestling period
chicks fed by both parents, both by regurgitation and with insects brought in beak, no information on duration of nestling period