Kermadec red-crowned parakeet facts for kids
The Kermadec red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cyanurus) is a special type of parrot. It is also called the Kermadec red-fronted parakeet or just Kermadec parakeet. This bird lives only on New Zealand's Kermadec Islands, which are in the south-west Pacific Ocean.
It is a subspecies of the Red-crowned parakeet. Sometimes, people even think it is its own unique species. This parakeet is famous for being the first parrot ever recorded to return and live on an island after harmful animals were removed.
Quick facts for kids Kermadec red-crowned parakeet |
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| Illustration by Keulemans, 1891 | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Genus: | Cyanoramphus |
| Species: | |
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C. n. cyanurus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cyanurus Salvadori, 1891
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What Does It Look Like?
The Kermadec red-crowned parakeet is a medium-sized bird. It is mostly green. It has a bright red cap on its head and a red stripe near its eyes.
This parakeet is about 29 centimeters (11 inches) long. It weighs between 80 and 90 grams (about 3 ounces). It is much bigger than other similar parakeets. Its feathers also look a bit bluer than other types.
Where Do They Live?
These parakeets live in the Kermadec Islands. These islands are about 1000 kilometers (620 miles) northeast of New Zealand's North Island. They are also about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tonga's 'Ata Island.
Long ago, the parakeets lived on Raoul Island. This is the main island in the group. But in the early 1800s, people brought new animals to Raoul Island. These animals were goats, cats, and brown and Polynesian rats. These new animals hunted the parakeets. By 1836, the parakeets stopped breeding on Raoul Island.
For 172 years, no parakeets bred on Raoul Island. They only survived on smaller nearby islands. About 50 pairs lived on the Herald Islets, which are 2-4 kilometers away. Many more, about 8,000 to 10,000 birds, lived on Macauley Island. This island is about 100 kilometers to the south.
Returning Home
Good news came in the 2000s! People worked hard to remove the harmful animals from Raoul Island. The goats were gone by 1986. The rats were removed by 2004. The cats were gone by 2006.
After the island was safe again, something amazing happened. In 2008, red-crowned parakeets were seen breeding on Raoul Island again! They likely flew over from the Herald Islets to their old home. This shows how important it is to protect islands from harmful animals.
How Do They Behave?
Outside of the time when they are raising babies, these parakeets are usually seen in pairs or small groups. Sometimes, they form larger flocks. However, some pairs prefer to stay by themselves all year.
They look for food on or near the ground. They also gather at water spots to drink and take baths. Sometimes, a flock will fly to nearby islands to find more food.
