Norfolk parakeet
| Norfolk parakeet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| On Norfolk Island, Australia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Genus: | Cyanoramphus |
| Species: | C. cookii |
| Binomial name | |
| Cyanoramphus cookii (Gray, 1859) | |
| Synonyms | |
The Norfolk parakeet (Cyanoramphus cookii), also called Tasman parakeet,[2] Norfolk Island green parrot or Norfolk Island red-crowned parakeet, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Norfolk Island (located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia in the Tasman Sea).
George Robert Gray described the Norfolk parakeet in 1859.
It was long considered a subspecies of the red-fronted parakeet of New Zealand.
"Norfolk parakeet" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC).[3] The name "Tasman parakeet" is used by Christidis and Boles on the argument that this species and the Lord Howe red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens) are probably a single species for which they use biogeographical arguments.[2] Tasman is used for other species with the same distribution and they propose that name for that reason. However, the latter subspecies was not included in the genus-wide phylogenetic reconstruction using DNA sequences, and the lumping of the species should be considered tentative.
Originally found throughout Norfolk Island, it vanished from much of its range until by 1908 it was restricted to forest around Mount Pitt in the northwestern corner of the Island. Its natural habitats are native rainforest, from which it ventures into surrounding plantations and orchards.[4]
Seeds make up over half the Norfolk parakeet's diet, particularly in winter. Five species make up 85% of its diet, including the Norfolk pine (Araucaria heterophylla), niau palm (Rhopalostylis baueri), ake ake (Dodonaea viscosa), as well as introduced African olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) and cherry guava (Psidium cattleyanum).[5]
This species of parakeet was down to under 50 birds by the late 1970s. Factors contributing to its decline include habitat loss, particularly of large old trees with suitable hollows for breeding, killing of eggs and young by rats and cats, shooting by early settlers, and competition for nest sites by introduced crimson rosellas and common starlings. In 1983 a captive breeding program was commenced. Although it was not successful, it did engage the people of Norfolk Island to the issue.[6]
It is only found in Norfolk Island National Park and the surrounding area.
.jpg)
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2017). "Cyanoramphus cookii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2017.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- 1 2 Christidis, Les; Boles, Walter (2008). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian Birds. Collingwood, Vic: CSIRO Publishing. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-643-06511-6.
- ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2018). "Parrots & cockatoos". World Bird List Version 8.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ↑ Higgins 1999, p. 477.
- ↑
- ↑ Ortiz-Catedral, Luis; Nias, Raymond; Fitzsimons, James; Vine, Samantha; Christian, Margaret (2018). "Back from the brink–again: the decline and recovery of the Norfolk Island green parrot". In Stephen Garnett; John Woinarski; David Lindenmayer; Peter Latch. Recovering Australian Threatened Species: A Book of Hope. Csiro Publishing. pp. 105–14. ISBN 978-1486307425.
- Boon, W, Daugherty C & Chambers, G (2001) The Norfolk Island Green Parakeet and New Caledonian Red-crowned Parakeet are distinct species. Emu 101 113–121
Cited text
- Higgins, P.J. (1999). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird. Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-553071-3.