Chatham parakeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chatham parakeet |
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| Chatham parakeet | |
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Cyanoramphus
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| Species: |
forbesi
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The Chatham parakeet (Cyanoramphus forbesi), also known as Forbes' parakeet, is a rare bird found only on the Chatham Islands group in New Zealand. This special parakeet is one of New Zealand's rarest birds. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This means it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. Threats to its survival include losing its home, other animals hunting it, and mixing with other types of parakeets. People are working to protect this species, and its population is now considered stable.
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About Its Family
Forbes’ parakeet belongs to a group of ten parakeet species called Cyanoramphus. These parakeets live in New Zealand and nearby islands.
Scientists first thought Forbes’ parakeet was its own species. Later, they thought it was a subspecies of the Yellow-crowned Parakeet. They even changed its name to Cyanoramphus auriceps forbesi.
However, new tests on its genes and body features showed something different. These tests looked at its size, sounds, and genetic makeup. Because of this new information, C. forbesi is now considered a separate species again.
Mixing with Other Parakeets
Studies have shown that Forbes’ parakeet often mixes with the Chatham Island Red-crowned Parakeet. This other parakeet also lives on Mangere Island in the Chatham Islands. When two different species breed, their offspring are called hybrids. This mixing can affect the unique features of each species.
Where It Lives
Forbes’ parakeet is found only on Mangere and Little Mangere (Tapuaenuku) Islands. These islands are part of the Chatham Islands group. The Chatham Islands are part of New Zealand. They are located southeast of Wellington.
Long ago, in the 1800s, Forbes’ parakeets were also seen on nearby Pitt Island and southern Chatham Island. By 1930, they had disappeared from Mangere Island. This happened because many trees were cut down. However, some parakeets survived on Little Mangere Island.
In the 1960s, people helped the parakeets return to Mangere Island. They removed animals like cats, rabbits, and farm animals that caused problems. They also let the native plants grow back.
These parakeets live in thick forests and scrub. They make their nests in hollow trees and cracks in rocks.
Dangers It Faces
Forbes’ parakeet has faced many dangers. At one point, there were only about 20 to 30 birds left. The main threats include losing their forest homes and being limited to two small islands. Mangere Island is about 112 hectares, and Little Mangere Island is only 16 hectares.
Cutting down many trees on Mangere Island greatly affected the parakeets. This deforestation removed the natural barriers that kept Forbes’ parakeet separate from the Chatham Island Red-crowned parakeet. Forbes’ parakeet prefers forest habitats. When forests were replaced by open farmland, they lost their preferred home.
The Chatham Island Red-crowned parakeet could adapt better to these changes. They moved into new areas, including places where only Forbes’ parakeets used to live. This led to more competition for homes and mates. As a result, the two species started breeding more often, creating hybrids. This mixing is a big threat to Forbes’ parakeet. Since it lives nowhere else, there is a risk of its unique genetic makeup being lost.
Helping the Parakeet
To protect Forbes’ parakeet from losing its unique genes, people started taking action. From 1976, hybrid birds and Chatham Island Red-crowned parakeets were carefully managed on Mangere Island. This was done to reduce the number of hybrids and the competition for resources.
These efforts helped Forbes’ parakeet numbers increase. Now, the number of hybrid birds is watched closely. If the number of hybrids on Mangere Island reaches 10% of all parakeets, management will start again.
People have also been replanting trees on the islands where Forbes’ parakeet lives. About 6,000 trees are planted every year since 1976. This helps create more natural homes for the parakeets. It also helps separate them from the Chatham Island Red-crowned parakeets, which prefer more open areas.
What It Looks Like
Forbes’ parakeets are medium-sized birds with long tails. They have orange-red eyes. Their feathers are bright green. They have a red band across their forehead, but it doesn't reach their eyes. They also have a yellow patch on the front of their head.
Their cheeks are green. They have some red feathers on the sides of their rump. Their outer wing feathers are violet-blue. Female parakeets are a bit smaller than males. Their beaks are also smaller.
It's easy to tell Forbes’ parakeet apart from the Chatham Island Red-crowned Parakeet. Forbes’ parakeet has a golden-yellow patch on its head. The Red-crowned parakeet, as its name suggests, has a red patch. Forbes’ parakeet looks similar to the Yellow-crowned parakeet, but the Yellow-crowned parakeet does not live in the Chatham Islands.
How It Behaves
Forbes’ parakeets are usually seen alone or in pairs. They rarely gather in large groups. These birds tend to stay in one place. They remain at the same nesting site all year round.
What It Eats
Forbes’ parakeets eat a variety of foods. Their diet includes small insects, flowers, seeds, leaves, fruits, young shoots, and tree bark. They have been seen eating in the tops of trees and on the forest floor. They also eat from trees, shrubs, or other plants when they have fruit, seeds, or flowers. Forbes’ parakeets feed alone or in groups with other parakeets of their own kind. They also sometimes feed with Chatham Island Red-crowned Parakeets and hybrid birds.
How It Reproduces
Forbes’ parakeets build their nests in hollows of dead or living trees. They breed between October and March. During breeding season, they become very protective of their nesting area. They will chase other birds away and make loud calls.
The female parakeet stays in the nest while she is incubating the eggs. The male parakeet brings her food. A female can lay between 2 and 9 eggs. Once the eggs hatch, both the male and female parents help care for the young birds. When people provide nest boxes, many chicks do not survive. Scientists are still trying to understand why this happens.
See also
In Spanish: Perico de las Chatham para niños
