The most endangered of the endemic birds, Seychelles Magpie Robin or Pi Santez in Creole, came
close to extinction in the late twentieth century; in 1970 there were only about 25 surviving birds on one island (Fregate Island).

Through an active conservation programme coordinated by BirdLife Interntional and later Nature Seychelles, which involved moving predators, improving habitat and providing nest boxes on Fregate and moving birds to other predator-free islands to start new populations, the total number of birds has risen significantly, although it remains one of the rarest birds in the world. Its conservation status has greatly improved, but it still relies on conservation management and implementation of the Seychelles Magpie Recovery Team (SMART), which was formed to take conservation actions to save this species. SMART is coordinated by Nature Seychelles. The species has been down listed from being Critically Endangered to Endangered by IUCN in 2005 after great efforts to increase its population. The goal is now to achieve a population of 200 mature birds on six islands within the granitic Seychelles.