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Home > New Zealand ecology > Parrots & parakeets >

New Zealand's fauna is interesting because it includes parrots and parakeets which are normally associated with the world's tropical regions, while at the same time accommodating penguin which also occupy the Antarctic region.  Three parrot, and six parakeet species are endemic.  Strikingly different parakeet habitats range from the subtropical Kermadec Islands, to the subantarctic Auckland Islands which is the second most southerly parrot location on Earth.

Kea  Nestor notabilus

The kea is New Zealand's cheakiest and naughtiest bird, renowned for chewing windshield wipers and other appendages off cars.  It is thought to be the most intelligent bird in the world.  Kea live in the subalpine regions and high country of the South Island where they have adapted to changes in their habitat by becoming scavengers.

Kakapo  Strigops habroptilus

The kakapo is one of the world's most critically endangered birds, living dangerously close to extinction for more than half a century.  It is the world's heaviest parrot, and the only flightless and nocturnal parrot.  After many years of holding on with just a few females in New Zealand's most extensive controlled breeding program, the future looks better for kakapo since 22 chicks hatched in 2002, bringing the total up to 84 birds.  See more
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Kaka  Nestor meridionalis

Once abundant throughout forests on the North, South and Stewart Islands, both subspecies of kaka which are found only in New Zealand, are following a similar decline to that of kiwi.  Remaining populations have become predominently male due to stoat predation of females and chicks in nests.  Kaka are on the path to mainland extinction, and may eventually only exist in protected 'mainland island' sanctuaries, and on predator-free offshore islands. Photo: Geoff Moon

New Zealand red-crowned parakeet
Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae

The NZ red-crowned parakeet is one of 4 red-crowned species in tropical to subantarctic locations. Four C. novaezelandiae subspecies, each in New Caledonia, and on Norfolk, Antipodes and Macquarie Islands were reclassified in 2001 as different species.  It is rarely seen on the NZ mainland islands, but Stewart Island, some offshore islands and the Auckland Islands are strongholds. Two subspecies are on the Kermadec and Chatham Islands.

Orange-fronted parakeet
Cyanoramphus malherbi

The number of orange-fronted parakeet plummeted 75 percent in three years, after it was declared a separate species in 2001.  It has quickly become one of New Zealand's most endangered birds, joining the takahe, kakapo and black robin.  Only 100-200 birds remain in two valleys in Arthurs Pass National Park and Lake Sumner Forest Park in North Canterbury.  Birds are being translocated to predator-free Chalky Island in Fiordland.

Antipodes Island (green) parakeet
Cyanoramphus unicolor

The Antipodes Island parakeet is only on the cold, bleak and unforested subantarctic Antipodes Island, 770km southeast of the South Island. It is the world's second most southerly parrot location.  Deep genetic separation of the Antipodes species from other New Zealand parakeets, indicates that its' colonisation of the island must have occurred before the radiation of red-crowned, yellow-crowned and orange-fronted species.  See more

Yellow-crowned parakeet
Cyanoramphus auriceps

Yellow-crowned parakeets are more common on the North and South Islands than the only other mainland species, the NZ red-crowned parakeet. The two share the subantarctic Auckland Islands, the most southern parrot location. While severely reduced, it is still in large native forest tracts.  Endangered orange-fronted parakeets split from yellow-crowned, and Little Barrier Island birds may be the forebearers of the extinct North Island orange-fronted species.

Forbes' parakeet  Cyanoramphus forbesi

The taxonomy of Forbes' parakeet has been debated since it was first described as a distinct species in 1893, then demoted to a subspecies of yellow-crowned parakeet in 1930.  Genetic research in 2001 redeems its' separate species status, and connects its lineage to the Chatham Island red-crowned parakeet.  Forbes' parakeet is endemic to Mangere Island in the Chatham Islands, and is seriously endangered because of hybridisation with red-crowned parakeet.

Reischek's parakeet
Cyanoramphus erythrotis hochstetteri

Reischeks's parakeet is the only surviving subspecies of the extinct Macquarie Island red-crowned parakeet C. erythrotis.  Reischek's parakeet shares the bleak, 60 sq.km subantarctic Antipodes Island habitat with the Antipodes Island parakeet  They have not interbred since Reischek's parakeet arrived on the island as a later colonisation.  See more

International Threatened
and Endangered Listings
2005 IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species

Kakapo
Strigops habroptilus
Critically endangered

Yellow-crowned parakeet
Cyanoramphus auriceps
Lower risk, near threatened

United States Threatened
and Endangered Species, Foreign Listed Species

Kakapo
Strigops habroptilus
Endangered

New Zealand Threatened Species Classification

Photo Credit
Center 2nd down: Kakapo, Rod Morris, Stewart Island 1979 DoC
Center 3rd down: Kaka chewing on coprosma, Geoff Moon
Center 4th down: Red-crowned parakeet, J.L. Kendrick, Waikanae 1980, DoC
Center 5th down: Orange-fronted parakeet, Dave Crouchley, Nelson 1983, DoC
Center 6th down: Antipodes Island parakeet, Antipodes Island 1978, DoC
Center 7th down: Yellow-crowned parakeet, Dick Veitch, Little Barrier Island, DoC
Center 8th down: Forbes' parakeet, Dave Crouchley, Mangere Island, Chatham Islands 1981, DoC
Right top: Kakapo
Left 2nd down: Takahe
Left 4th down: kokako
Left 5th down: Tusked weta
Left 6th down: Archey's frog
All DoC images Crown Copyright © Department of Conservation
Left 7th down: Kauri, Alexander Turnbull Library
Illustration Credit
Left 3rd down: John Gerrard Keulemans 1842-1912, Huia Heteralocha acutirostris 1888
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand must be obtained before any re-use of this image.