The New Zealand parakeet. Its known by its Māori name of kākāriki, meaning ‘small green parrot’. There are five main species of kākāriki: Yellow-crowned parakeet, Orange-fronted parakeet, Red-crowned parakeet
Forbes’ parakeet and Antipodes Island parakeet.
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.
The Tui is an endemic passerine bird of New Zealand. It is one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family. Nectar is the normal diet but fruit and insects are frequently eaten, and pollen and seeds more occasionally.
Tuis prefer broadleaf forests below 1500 metres. but will tolerate quite small remnant patches, regrowth, exotic plantations and well-vegetated suburbs.
New Zealand falcon or Kārearea is endemic to this New Zealand and is one of our most spectacular birds. It capable of flying at speeds over 100 km/h, and can catch prey larger than itself.
Although still widespread where suitable habitat exists, numbers have declined and predation by cats, mustelids, and hedgehogs is emerging as a problem for ground nesting falcons.
The New Zealand Pigeon or kererū is a bird endemic to New Zealand. Kererū are commonly called wood pigeons but are not the same as the Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), which is a member of a different genus. Since the extinction of the moa, the kererū and parea are now the only seed dispersers with a bill big enough to swallow large fruit, such as those of karaka, miro, tawa and taraire. The disappearance of these birds could be a disaster for the regeneration of New Zealand native forests.
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