Black-fronted Parakeet
Encyclopedia
The extinct Black-fronted Parakeet or Tahiti Parakeet (Cyanoramphus zealandicus) was endemic
to the Pacific island of Tahiti
. Its native
name was simply ’ā’ā ("parrot") according to Latham (1790) though White (1887) gives "aa-maha".
It was discovered on James Cook
's first voyage in 1769, on which the two specimens now in Liverpool
and the one in the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum
in Tring
appear to have been collected. Two of them - one of those in Liverpool and the Tring specimen - may also have been taken on Cook's second voyage, in 1773, but the type
was painted by Sydney Parkinson
who had died in 1771. Another specimen, collected by Amadis in 1842, is in the museum at Perpignan
. The last known specimen was collected in 1844 by Lieutenant des Marolles, and is now housed in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
, Paris
.
, the species inhabited woodlands, but as testified by the 1773 report of Georg Forster
, they were able to persist in numbers despite widespread deforestation for agriculture and the presence of the small kiore rats and pigs, which undoubtedly preyed on the bird's eggs on occasion. The natives of Tahiti, who valued red parrot feathers for use in handicraft above all others, had to trade for these with the Samoa
ns, as the Black-fronted Parakeet did not possess the desired feathers in sufficient quality and quantity. However, they liked to keep the species as pets. After the introduction of cats and European rats, the species rapidly succumbed to these predators.
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the Pacific island of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
. Its native
Tahitian language
Tahitian is an indigenous language spoken mainly in the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is an Eastern Polynesian language closely related to the other indigenous languages spoken in French Polynesia: Marquesan, Tuamotuan, Mangarevan, and Austral Islands languages...
name was simply ’ā’ā ("parrot") according to Latham (1790) though White (1887) gives "aa-maha".
It was discovered on James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
's first voyage in 1769, on which the two specimens now in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and the one in the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum
Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum
The Natural History Museum at Tring was the private museum of Lionel Walter, 2nd Baron Rothschild, today it is under the control of the Natural History Museum. It houses one of the finest collections of stuffed mammals, birds, reptiles and insects in the United Kingdom...
in Tring
Tring
Tring is a small market town and also a civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England. Situated north-west of London and linked to London by the old Roman road of Akeman Street, by the modern A41, by the Grand Union Canal and by rail lines to Euston Station, Tring is now largely a...
appear to have been collected. Two of them - one of those in Liverpool and the Tring specimen - may also have been taken on Cook's second voyage, in 1773, but the type
Biological type
In biology, a type is one particular specimen of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached...
was painted by Sydney Parkinson
Sydney Parkinson
Sydney Parkinson was a Scottish Quaker, botanical illustrator and natural history artist.Parkinson was employed by Joseph Banks to travel with him on James Cook's first voyage to the Pacific in 1768. Parkinson made nearly a thousand drawings of plants and animals collected by Banks and Daniel...
who had died in 1771. Another specimen, collected by Amadis in 1842, is in the museum at Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
. The last known specimen was collected in 1844 by Lieutenant des Marolles, and is now housed in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Extinction
Like its relative, the Society ParakeetSociety Parakeet
The Society Parakeet is an extinct parakeet of the genus Cyanoramphus.-Description:It reached a length of 25 cm. Its head was chocolate brown. The bill showed a pale bluish grey hue and had a black tip. The back and the wings were coloured brown. The lower back and the tail exhibited a...
, the species inhabited woodlands, but as testified by the 1773 report of Georg Forster
Georg Forster
Johann Georg Adam Forster was a German naturalist, ethnologist, travel writer, journalist, and revolutionary. At an early age, he accompanied his father on several scientific expeditions, including James Cook's second voyage to the Pacific...
, they were able to persist in numbers despite widespread deforestation for agriculture and the presence of the small kiore rats and pigs, which undoubtedly preyed on the bird's eggs on occasion. The natives of Tahiti, who valued red parrot feathers for use in handicraft above all others, had to trade for these with the Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
ns, as the Black-fronted Parakeet did not possess the desired feathers in sufficient quality and quantity. However, they liked to keep the species as pets. After the introduction of cats and European rats, the species rapidly succumbed to these predators.
