Reischek's Parakeet
Cyanoramphus hochstetteri
A medium-sized, emerald-green parakeet endemic to the Antipodes Islands, including smaller outer islands. Recognized by its distinctive bright red crown and small red patches behind the eyes. Green body plumage has a slight yellowish tint. Males are larger than females. Most commonly found in areas of low vegetation and open areas along the coast. Forms small flocks in autumn and winter. Calls are a distinctive parakeet chatter. Distinguished from Red-crowned Parakeet by lack of range overlap and the more yellow-green body plumage. Easily distinguished from larger, all-green Antipodes Island Parakeet.
Taxonomy
The common name commemorates pioneering naturalist and collector Andreas Reischek, who collected specimens of the parrot in 1888 and who named it Platycercus hochstetteri for the son of his friend, Austrian geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter, who made a geological survey of New Zealand.<p>Reischek’s parakeet was previously considered to be a subspecies of the red-crowned parakeet C. novaezelandiae, which it resembles in appearance, but was later lumped with the Macquarie parakeet from Macquarie Island in a 2001 paper by Wee Ming Boon and others following an examination of the molecular systematics of the genus which found that many of the red-crowned parakeet subspecies should be elevated to full species. However, subsequently the provenance of Boon et al.’s supposed Macquarie Island material was shown to be mistaken, originating from the Antipodes Islands instead.
- Scientific name
- Cyanoramphus hochstetteri
- Authority
- (Reischek, 1889)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Cyanoramphus
Behavior
Reischek’s parakeet feeds on tussock flowers, leaves, seeds, berries as well as invertebrates such as fly larvae in the guano of the penguin colonies. It also scavenges on the carcasses of petrels and albatrosses.
Conservation
Though the population of Reischek's parakeet is healthy, its limited distribution makes it potentially vulnerable to events such as the accidental introduction of rodents to its island home. On the New Zealand Threatened Species classification it is listed as ‘range restricted’.
Photos
Distribution
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