The genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Nestor is the only genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of the Nestorini tribe

Tribe (biology)

In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...

. Together with the Kakapo

Kakapo

The Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...

 in the Strigopini tribe, they form the small parrot family Strigopidae. The genus Nestor contains two extant parrot

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...

 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 from 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...

 and two extinct species from Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...

, Australia and Chatham Island, New Zealand, respectively. All species are large stocky birds with short squarish tails. A defining characteristic of the genus is their tongue, which is tipped with a hair-like fringe. The superficial resemblance of this tongue to that of lorikeet

Lorikeet

Lories and lorikeets are small to medium-sized arboreal parrots characterized by their specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar of various blossoms and soft fruits, preferably berries. The species form a monophyletic group within the parrot family Psittacidae...

s has led some taxonomists to consider the two groups closely related, but DNA evidence shows they are not.

Classification

All four species in the genus Nestor are thought to stem from a 'proto-Kākā', dwelling in the forests of New Zealand 5 million years ago. The closest relative is the Kākāpō

Kakapo

The Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...

 (Strigops habroptila). Together, they form the parrot family Strigopidae, with comprises an ancient group that split off from all other Psittacidae before their radiation.

Species

There are two surviving species and at least one well documented extinct species in the genus Nestor. Very little is known about the fourth, the Chatham Kaka, which may have been con-specific with another Kaka species.

• Kea
  Kea
  The Kea is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot...
  
  , Nestor notabilis
• New Zealand Kaka, Nestor meridionalis
  • North Island Kaka, Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis
  • South Island Kaka, Nestor meridionalis meridionalis
• Norfolk Kaka, Nestor productus (extinct)
• Chatham Kaka, Nestor sp. (extinct)

Status

Of the four species, the Norfolk Kaka and Chatham Kaka went extinct in recent history. The last known individual of the Norfolk Kaka died in captivity in London sometime after 1851, and only between seven and 20 skins survive. The Chatham Kaka went extinct in pre-European times, after Polynesians

Polynesians

The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...

 arrived at the island, between 1550 and 1700, and is only known from subfossil

Subfossil

Subfossil refers to remains whose fossilization process is not complete, either for lack of time or because the conditions in which they were buried were not optimal for fossilization....

 bones. The mainland New Zealand Kaka is listed as endangered, and the Kea

Kea

The Kea is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot...

is listed as vulnerable.

External links