The endemic Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae), best known by its Māori name Kākāriki (Kākāriki means green in Māori), is a vibrant emerald-green bird native to New Zealand. In Māori mythology, the striking crimson patches on the sides of its rump represent the blood of the fallen demigod Tāwhaki. They are considered some of the most active parrots in the world. They often sprint up and down tree trunks or aviary mesh using only their feet, completely bypassing the standard parrot technique of using their beak to climb. There are three species of New Zealand Parakeet. The yellow-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus auriceps), the red-crowned parakeet, or red-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae), and the critically endangered Malherbe's parakeet or orange-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi). Once common on mainland New Zealand, kākāriki are now mainly confined to predator-free islands due to predation and habitat loss.
© BirdsImageStock