Kermadec Red-crowned Parakeet
Encyclopedia
The Kermadec Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cyanurus), also known as the Kermadec Red-fronted Parakeet or Kermadec Parakeet, is a parrot
endemic to New Zealand
's Kermadec Islands
in the south-west Pacific Ocean
. It is a subspecies
of the Red-fronted Parakeet, and sometimes considered a full species. It is also the first documented example of a parrot recolonising an island after the removal of invasive predators
.
.
, and 900 km SSW of Tonga
s 'Ata
Island. However, it was eradicated from the principal island in the group, 30 km2 Raoul
, in the early 19th century, with the last records of breeding there in 1836, as a consequence of the introduction by humans of goat
s, cat
s, and both Brown
and Polynesian Rat
s. It survived only on the nearby Herald Islets 2–4 km away, where there are about 50 breeding pairs, and on 3 km2 Macauley Island
some 100 km to the south with about 8-10,000 birds.
For 172 years no breeding was recorded on Raoul, although occasional vagrant individual birds were seen. In 2008, following island restoration
that included the removal of goats by 1986, the rats by 2004 and the cats by 2006, Red-crowned Parakeets were again recorded breeding on Raoul Island, presumably having recolonised it from the Herald Islets.
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
endemic to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's Kermadec Islands
Kermadec Islands
The Kermadec Islands are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga...
in the south-west Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. It is a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Red-fronted Parakeet, and sometimes considered a full species. It is also the first documented example of a parrot recolonising an island after the removal of invasive predators
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
.
Description
The Kermadec Red-crowned Parakeet is a medium-sized, predominantly green parrot with a crimson cap and eye-stripe. At about 29 cm in length, and 80-90 g in weight, it is significantly larger than the nominate subspecies, as well as having noticeably bluer plumagePlumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
.
Distribution
The parakeet is found in the Kermadec group, which lies about 1000 km NNE of New Zealand's North IslandNorth Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, and 900 km SSW of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
s 'Ata
'Ata
Ata is a small, rocky island in the far south of the Tonga archipelago, situated on . It is also known as Pylstaart island. It should not be confused with Atā, which is an uninhabited, low coral island in the string of small atolls along the Piha passage along the northside of Tongatapu, nor should...
Island. However, it was eradicated from the principal island in the group, 30 km2 Raoul
Raoul Island
Anvil-shaped Raoul Island , the largest and northernmost of the main Kermadec Islands, , has been the source of vigorous volcanic activity during the past several thousand years that was dominated by dacitic explosive eruptions.The area of the island, including fringing islets and rocks...
, in the early 19th century, with the last records of breeding there in 1836, as a consequence of the introduction by humans of goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s, and both Brown
Brown Rat
The brown rat, common rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Brown Norway rat, Norwegian rat, or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats....
and Polynesian Rat
Polynesian Rat
The Polynesian Rat, or Pacific Rat , known to the Māori as kiore, is the third most widespread species of rat in the world behind the Brown Rat and Black Rat. The Polynesian Rat originates in Southeast Asia but, like its cousins, has become well travelled – infiltrating Fiji and most Polynesian...
s. It survived only on the nearby Herald Islets 2–4 km away, where there are about 50 breeding pairs, and on 3 km2 Macauley Island
Macauley Island
Macauley Island is a volcanic island in New Zealand's Kermadec Islands, approximately halfway between New Zealand's North Island and Tonga in the southwest Pacific Ocean....
some 100 km to the south with about 8-10,000 birds.
For 172 years no breeding was recorded on Raoul, although occasional vagrant individual birds were seen. In 2008, following island restoration
Island restoration
The ecological restoration of islands, or island restoration, is the application of the principles of ecological restoration to islands and island groups. Islands, due to their isolation, are home to many of the world's endemic species, as well as important breeding grounds for seabirds and some...
that included the removal of goats by 1986, the rats by 2004 and the cats by 2006, Red-crowned Parakeets were again recorded breeding on Raoul Island, presumably having recolonised it from the Herald Islets.