Malherbe's Parakeet
Cyanoramphus malherbi
Critically EndangeredAves · Psittaciformes · Psittacidae
About
Orange-fronted parakeet or Malherbe's parakeet is a small parrot endemic to New Zealand. It is known in te reo māori as kākāriki karaka or orange-fronted kākāriki, with kākāriki translating to 'small parrot' and the colour green. The species shares the name "orange-fronted parakeet" with Eupsittula canicularis, a Central American species. Restricted to a few valleys in the South Island, its population declined to around 200 in the 1990s, and it is considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Nationally Critical by the New Zealand Threat Classification System. The parakeet has since been translocated to several islands and a fenced mainland site.
Fun Fact
The female exclusively incubates and the male feeds her.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Found in only three regions on New Zealand's South Island: the South Branch Hurunui River Valley, Hawdon River Valley, and the Poulter Valley.
Diet
Eating various seeds, beech flowers, buds, and invertebrates.
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Destruction
- Pollution
- Invasive Species
- Over-Collection
- Climate Change