Antipodes Parakeet
Cyanoramphus unicolor
VulnerableAves · Psittaciformes · Psittacidae
About
The Antipodes parakeet or Antipodes Island parakeet is a parrot in the family Psittaculidae that is endemic to the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand. It is one of two parrot species found on the islands, and one of only five ground-dwelling parrots in the world. They are long-living birds that may live up to 10 years of age, but the introduction of mice that compete with them for food was a threat to their survival on the Antipodes Islands until the mice were successfully eradicated from the Islands in 2016. Unusually for parrots, they sometimes prey upon other birds, a trait shared by another New Zealand parrot, the kea.
Fun Fact
They are long-living birds that may live up to 10 years of age, but the introduction of mice that compete with them for food was a threat to their survival on the Antipodes Islands until the mice were successfully eradicated from the Islands in 2016 (confirmed 2018).
Quick Facts
Habitat
Endemic to the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand.
Diet
Eat leaves, buds, grass, and tussock stalks, as well as sometimes feeding on seeds and flowers, and sometimes scavenge dead seabirds.
Lifespan
10 years
Threats
- Habitat Degradation
- Overexploitation
- Invasive Species
- Climate Change