Kakarikis: Red-fronted Parakeets
Class: Aves ... Order: Psittaciformes ... Family: Psittacidae ... Subfamily: Psittacinae ... Genus: Scientific: Cyanoramphus ... English: Red-fronted Parakeets ... Dutch: Kakarikis ... German: Laufsittiche ... French: Kakariki
The kakarikis or New Zealand parakeets are the three most common species of parakeet in the genus Cyanoramphus, family Psittacidae. The birds' Maori name, which is the most commonly used, means "green", in reference to their predominant colour.
The three species on mainland New Zealand are the Yellow-crowned Parakeet Cyanoramphus auriceps, the Orange-fronted Parakeet C. malherbi and the Red-crowned Parakeet or Red-fronted Parakeet, C. novaezelandiae.
- Orange-Fronted Parakeet: The Fight For Survival - Very informative video footages about these parakeets in the wild
All are native to New Zealand, and have become endangered as a result of habitat destruction following European settlement and nest predation by introduced species of mammal. Scarce on the mainland, they have survived well on outlying islands, and also through breeding in captivity since they make good pets. A licence from the New Zealand Department of Conservation is now required to breed them in captivity.
In October 2004, according to the Porirua City News (17 November, page 8), two pairs of Red-crowned Parakeets were seen in the Porirua Scenic Reserve, probably having flown from Kapiti Island.
Mitochondrial DNA analysis has indicated that the Orange-fronted Parakeet is a separate species and not just a colour variation of the Yellow-crowned Parakeet. The Orange-fronted Parakeet is highly endangered, with less than 200 individuals remaining in the North Canterbury region of the South Island. Furthermore, Chatham Island's Yellow-crowned Parakeet and the red-crowned populations of New Caledonia, Norfolk Island and the subantarctic islands have been determined to be distinct species (Boon et al., 2001).
There is one remaining subspecies of the Red-crowned Parakeet, the Chatham Island Red-crowned Parakeet, C. n. chathamensis, all other forms having been split off (see also Scofield, 2005).
Aviculture
The red-crowned parakeets are common in aviculture and they are relatively easy to breed. They lay about 3 to 5 white eggs in a nesting box. A cinnamon colour variety and a pied variety are available
Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.orgRelevant Web Resources: Talking Ability (compared to other species) ...Kakarikis in Captivity ... New Zealand Parrots - Part 2
Sub-species:
Alpine Parakeets or Orange-fronted Parakeet: A new color variation of the Yellow-fronted Parakeet 
Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus auriceps malherbi aka Cyanoramphus malherbi ... English: Orange-fronted Parakeet, Alpine Parakeet ... Dutch: Oranjevoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Orangestirn Laufsittich, Alpensittich ... French: Perruche front d'orange CITES I - Protected Species Description: Paler plumage than Yellow-fronted, without yellowish tinge; band to forehead orange; crown pale yellow; patches to both sides of lower back orange. Length: 23 cm (9 ins) Distribution: South Island, New Zealand Related Websites: Doc.govs.nz ... Orange-fronted Recovery Update ... Shortly after its identification as a separate species, this bird is on the brink of extinction by Geoff Keey
Antipodes Island / Green Parakeets (Cyanoramphus unicolor)
Antipodes Red-Fronted Parakeets: Species Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae hochstetteri ... English: Antipodes Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Antipodes Roodvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Antipoden Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche grande d'ile Antipode CITES I - Protected Species Description: Same as Red-fronted, but generally with much more yellowish plumage; forehead, crown and body patches orange-red; flight-feathers only faint blue; larger. Length: 30 cm (12 ins), wing length 130 - 150 mm (5 - 6 ins) Distribution: Antipodes Island Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots
Black-fronted Parakeets, Tahiti Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus zealandicus ... English: Black-fronted Parakeet, Tahiti Parakeet ... Dutch: Zwartvoorhoofdkakariki, Tahitiaanse Kakariki ... German: Tahiti Laufsittich ... French: Perruche à front noir CITES Status - Extinct Description: Generally green, bluish to breast, abdomen, under tail-coverts and tail; forehead black; lores and stripe across eye scarlet-red; lower back red; outer webs of flight-feathers violet-blue; iris probably orange; feet greyish-brown; bill pale bluish-grey with blackish tip. Immatures with bluish-black forehead, brownish head and chestnut-brown eye-stripe; breast and abdomen greyish-green; back feathers edged brownish. Length: 25 cm (10 ins) Distribution: Tahiti, Society Island,now extinct Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots
Brown-headed Parakeets: Please go to Society Kakarikis.
Chatham Red-fronted Parakeet: Species Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae chatamensis ... English: Chatham Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Chatham Roodvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Chatham Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche d'ile Chatham CITES I - Protected Species Description: Same as Red-fronted, but with bright emerald green facial area; abdomen slightly more yellowish; feet grey to dark-grey. Length: 28 cm (11 ins), wing length 125-140 mm (5 - 5.5 ins) Distribution: Chatham Island Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll to no. 3 - click on link to view photo.)
Forbe's Yellow-fronted Parakeets: Species Cyanoramphus auriceps forbesi ... English: Forbe's Yellow-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Forbe's Geelvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Chatham Springsittich,
Forbe's Springsittich ... French: Perruche de Forbes CITES I - Protected Species Description: Same as Yellow-fronted, but with narrow red band to forehead not extending to eye; plumage to underparts more yellowish; outer webs to flight-feathers greenish-blue; larger. Length: 25 cm (10 ins) Distribution: Chatham Island Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Kermadec Red-fronted Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cyanurus ... English: Kermadec Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Kermadec Roodvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Kermadec Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche d'ile Kermadec CITES I - Protected Species Description: The same as Red-fronted, but with much less yellowish plumage, especially to breast and abdomen; flight-feathers deeper blue; tail upperside blue-green; larger. Length: 29 cm (11.5 ins), wing length 132-147 mm (5 - 5.75 ins) Distribution: Kermadec Islands Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Lord Howe Red-fronted Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens ... English: Lord Howe Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Lord Howe Roodvoorhoofdkakariki
... German: Lord Howe Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche d'ile Lord Howe CITES Status - Extinct Description: As Red-fronted, but much more yellowish plumage, especially to cheeks; red to crown less extensive; much larger. Length: 32 cm (12.5 ins), wing length 147 - 149 mm (5.75 - 6 ins) Distribution: Lord Howe Island, now extinct Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll to no. 7 - click on link to view photo.)
Macquarie Red-fronted Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae erythrotis ... English: Macquarie Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Macquarie Roodvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Macquarie Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche d'ile Macquarie CITES Status - Extinct Description: The same as Red-fronted, but with
paler and more yellowish plumage; blue to flight-feathers paler and washed with green; larger. Distribution: Macquari Island, now extinct Length: 30 cm (12 ins), wing length 142 - 145 mm (5.5 - 5.75 ins) Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll to no. 5 - click on link to view photo.)
New Caledonian Red-fronted Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae saisseti ... English: New Caledonian Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Nieuwcaledonische
Roodvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Neukaledonien Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche de la Nouvelle Caledonia CITES I - Protected Species Description: Same as Red-fronted, but sides of head, breast and abdomen much more yellow; red to crown paler and brighter; smaller. Length: 6 cm (10.25 ins), wing length 114 - 135 mm (4.5 - 5.25 ins) Distribution: New Caledonia Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll to no. 8 - click on link to view photo.)
Norfolk Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus cookii aka Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cookii ... English: Norfolk Parakeet ... Dutch: Norfolk Eiland Kakariki ... German: Norfolk Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche de Cock CITES I - Protected Species Description: Same as Red-fronted, but larger. Length: 31 cm (12 ins), wing length 130 - 150
mm (5 - 6 ins) Distribution: Norfolk Island Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll to no. 6 - click on link to view photo.)
Red-fronted Kakarikis aka Red-crowned Parakeets: Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae ... English: Red-fronted Parakeet ... Dutch: Roodvoorhoofdkakariki ... German: Ziegensittich ... French: Perruche à front rouge CITES I - Protected Species Description: General plumage green; yellowish-green to breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts; forehead, crown and stripe extending to behind eye red; red patch to both sides of lower back; outer webs of flight-feathers violet-blue; iris red; feet grey; bill pale bluish-grey with blackish tip. Immatures as adults, but with less red to head and reddish-brown iris, tail shorter. Length: 27 cm (10.5 ins), wing length 125-139 mm (5 - 5.5 ins) Distribution: New Zealand, Auckland Islands Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots ... New Zealand Parrots
Tahiti Parakeets: Please go to Black-fronted Parakeets
Society Kakarikis (Ulietanus): Species: Scientific: Cyanoramphus ulietanus ... English: Brown-headed Parakeet, Society Parakeet ... Dutch: Bruinkopkakariki ... German: Braunkopflaufsittich ... French: Perruche à tête brune CITES Status - Extinct Description: Blackish-brown head, paler on nape; back and wings brown; lower back and tail-coverts brownish-red; under wing-coverts and outer webs to flight-feathers
grey-blue; breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts olive-yellow; middle tail-feathers olive-brownish, oter bluish-grey; iris probably orange; feet greyish-brown; bill pale bluish-grey, blackish at tip. Length: 25 cm (10 ins) Distribution: Raiatea, Society Island, now extinct Related
Websites: Lexicon of Parrots ... Are YOU Thinking to Get a Brown-headed Parrot? - Midori Takaki ... Lala, The Princess (brownheaded parrot) - Midori Takaki
Yellow-fronted Parakeets aka Yellow-crowned Parakeets: Species Scientific: Cyanoramphus auriceps auriceps ... English: Yellow-fronted Parakeet, Yellow-crowned Parakeet ... Dutch: Geelvoorhoofdkakariki, Goudkopkakariki ... German: Springsittich ... French: Perruche à front jaune CITES I - Protected Species Description: Green; yellowish-green to breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts; narrow red band to forehead extends to eyes; crown gold-yellow; red patch to both sides of lower back; outer webs of flight-feathers violet-blue; iris orange-red; feet grey; bill pale bluish-grey with blackish tip.Immatures as adult, but with duller forehead marking and pale reddish-brown iris. Length: 23 cm (9 ins) Distribution: South and North Islands of New Zealand; some small off-shore islands as well as Auckland Islands, Three KIngs, Little Barrier, Kapiti and Stewart. Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots ... New
Zealand Parrots
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