New Zealand Native Animals > Antipodes Island Parakeet

Antipodes Island Parakeet

Cyanoramphus unicolor

LOCALLY COMMON; ENDEMIC

DISTRIBUTION: Antipodes and Bollons Islands and some of the smaller islets nearby.

HABITAT: Tussock and scrubland.

BREEDING: Breeding takes place from October to March. Nests are made in a metre long burrow under the ground where about 5 elliptical eggs are laid.

FOOD: Leaves, seeds, berries, flowers and occasionally dead penguins and petrels.

VOICE: When locating other parakeets they call “prettydick”. Their contact call is a deep querulous “twentyeight”. Danger calls range from a deep clucking to a high pitched chatter.

GENERAL: Visibly larger and plumper than other New Zealand parakeets and the only New Zealand parakeet with an entirely green head. Although able to fly well they spend most of their time on the ground or walking/climbing through vegetation. They are incredibly friendly and quiet, having had no predators.


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