Antipodes Island Green Parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor)

Have you ever seen a bright green parakeet flying through the trees or chattering away with tropical birds at the zoo? If so, you may be familiar with some of the hundreds of parakeet species that exist. But there is one rare parakeet you likely don’t know much about – the Antipodes Island Green Parakeet. This unique bird lives exclusively on the Antipodes Islands, a tiny remote island group 490 miles southeast of New Zealand.

With emerald green and yellowish feathers and a shrill, birdcall-like voice, this small parrot measures around 9 inches (25 cm) from head to tail-tip. Weighing only 1-1.2 ounces (30-35 grams), the Antipodes Parakeet spends its days feeding on plant nectar and seeds while nesting in the holes of trees on its rugged island home.

Once more abundant, these days roughly 600-800 of these parakeets are left in existence. Due to invasive species and habitat loss over the past century, the Antipodes Green Parakeet has been classified as endangered since 2020. Ongoing conservation efforts seek to protect these unique island birds and restore their home.

As the world’s only endemic parakeet, the rare Antipodes Green Parakeet offers a special glimpse into parrot evolution. Over the following sections, we’ll unpack everything there is to know about this species – from behavior to breeding, conservation status and beyond. This comprehensive guide will highlight just what makes this remote island parakeet so special.

History and Taxonomy

The Antipodes Island Green Parakeet was first described by British ornithologist John Latham in 1801 based on a specimen found on the Antipodes Islands. He named it Psittacus unicolor, with the species name “unicolor” meaning “one color” referring to its solid green plumage. It was later reclassified into the genus Cyanoramphus along with several other parakeet species from the region.

Over the next two centuries, there was some debate among scientists whether the Antipodes Parakeet deserved its own unique species status or if it was a subspecies of another nearby parakeet species from islands such as the Reischek’s or Red-crowned Parakeets. However, in the late 1990s, analysis of feather lice and DNA evidence confirmed it as genetically distinct enough to warrant full species status as Cyanoramphus unicolor.

Within the Cyanoramphus genus, the Antipodes Parakeet belongs to the subgenus Cyanoramphus, along with the New Zealand Red-crowned Parakeet and Chatham Island Yellow-crowned Parakeet. These three species likely diverged from a common ancestor around 1-2 million years ago. The Antipodes Parakeet itself has seen genetic divergence between the main Antipodes island and smaller islet populations over recent evolutionary history.

Physical Appearance

The Antipodes Island Green Parakeet is aptly named for its bright green plumage across the body and wings, with some subtle yellowish tinges on the undersides of wings and tail. It has a medium-sized parakeet build, measuring around 9 inches (25 cm) from head to the tip of its tapered tail feathers and weighing just 1-1.2 ounces (30-35 grams).

Its rounded head features a short and blunt blue-gray bill with nostrils covered in feathers. The crown and nape are a mossy green color. Like other parakeets, the Antipodes Parakeet has a ring of bare white facial skin around each eye. The irises of the eyes range from dark brown to orange-red in color. The legs and feet are a dull gray color.

The male and female have similar overall plumage. However, males tend to have brighter green upperparts while females display more yellow-green underparts. Juvenile feather coloring is duller until their first molt. Adult parakeets molt once per year after breeding season, replacing all feathers over several weeks. Their bright new plumage follows.

No major variation occurs across the whole Antipodes population. However, in 2016 researchers discovered the 40-60 parakeets on tiny, nearby Figure of Eight Island exhibited a red tinge to their forehead feathers. This may indicate divergence from the main Antipodes island populations.

Habitat and Distribution

The Antipodes Island Green Parakeet lives exclusively on the Antipodes Islands and has the most restricted range of any parakeet species. The Antipodes are a tiny volcanic island group located about 490 miles (790 km) southeast of New Zealand’s South Island in the subantarctic region of the Southern Ocean.

The islands have a cool, oceanic climate with average temperatures around 50°F (10°C) and frequent rainfall up to 100 inches (2,500 mm) per year. Vegetation is dominated by tussock grassland, scrublands, flower fields, and some small forest patches of trees like Antipodes Island Tree Daisy and Cook’s Scurvy Grass.

The parakeets mainly reside on the largest 6 square mile (15 square km) Antipodes Island, but also inhabit nearby Bollons Island, Leeward Island, and Figure Of Eight Island. Their global range is confined to these rugged islands.

In 1978, estimated population numbers were as high as 1,200-1,300 parakeets but have dropped to just 600-800 remaining and are still declining. The majority live on Antipodes Island proper, with the Figure of Eight islet hosting the only distinct sub-population. Their remote island location has allowed evolution in isolation but also leaves them vulnerable, as any disaster could wipe out the entirety of this rare species.

Diet and Feeding

The Antipodes Green Parakeet is a herbivorous species, feeding mainly on plant material including seeds, fruits, nectar, pollen and even some flowers and leaves. Research shows they prefer feeding on tussock grass seeds but also utilize over 25 native plant species on the islands.

Parakeets have strong curved beaks well-adapted for cracking hard seeds and nuts. Their brush-tipped tongues allow them to extract nectar from flowers and juices from fruits. They’ve been spotted hanging upside down or stretching acrobatically to reach favored food plants.

They are agile fliers, covering distances up to 1 mile (1.6 km) over the course of a day foraging between favored feeding and roosting areas across their rocky habitat. Much of their time is spent feeding – up to 68% of daylight hours. Peak feeding occurs in the early morning and late afternoon each day.

In addition to plant material, parakeets may occasionally eat some small insects for protein. Chicks during the nesting period are fed regurgitated seeds and fruits by attentive parent birds. Providing the proper nutrition helps chicks grow and prepare them for surviving independently.

Breeding and Reproduction

The Antipodes Green Parakeet breeds during the summer months from November to February on the islands. They are monogamous breeders, partnering with a single mate each season.

Courtship displays like mutual preening and feeding help form pair bonds. Males attract females by showing off bright plumage and performing acrobatic flights around potential nesting sites. Once bonded, pairs search tree holes and cavities to serve as nest sites, with competition high for the best and safest sites.

Females lay clutches of 4-8 small white eggs within the chosen nest cavity, often a hole in an island tree tree daisy orCook’s scurvy grass up to 65 feet (20 meters) above ground. She incubates the eggs alone for around 21 days while the male keeps watch and delivers food to her.

Hatchlings are altricial, blind and helpless with light grey downy feathers. Both parents work hard provisioning the chicks with regurgitated foods over 6-7 weeks until fledged. Once able to fly and fend for themselves, juveniles leave the nest but may still associate and learn survival skills from parents for some months. This devotion to raising just a few offspring each season limits reproductive rates for the species.

Behavior and Ecology

The Antipodes Green Parakeet exhibits typical parrot behaviors but also shows unique adaptations to its remote island environment. They are highly social, spending much of their time roosting and foraging in groups called flocks or “chatterings” that may include up to 30-50 birds.

Their loud, screechy contact calls ring out as they fly swiftly between sites or cluster together on branches. Some research suggests the frequency of their calls is tuned perfectly to transmit effectively across the open landscapes of their homeland. Flocks display communal rituals like group preening which strengthens social bonds between birds.

They make regular daily movements about their range, leaving overnight roost cavities at dawn to disperse and feed, then return to roost 30 minutes before sundown. This efficient routine maximizes time spent feeding while minimizing risk of predation at night. These rhythms follow the summer breeding season when populations concentrate in core habitat, then winter months when they range more widely.

Nesting ecology is a key feature as suitable tree hollows for breeding are limited, leading to competition. As opportunistic cavity nesters adapting to local flora, they also exhibit flexibility by occasionally building arboreal nests or using rock crevices for nest sites if needed, behaviors not seen in their close cousins. Such readiness to exploit their environment assists the survival of this species on its secluded islands.

Conservation Status

Due to declining numbers and multiple threats in its restricted island habitat, the Antipodes Green Parakeet is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as of 2020. Its threat level represents an improvement from Critically Endangered status in the past. However, ongoing conservation management is still much needed.

Across three centuries since first discovery, the parakeet population is estimated to have fallen from over 3,000 to just 600-800 birds today due to threats introduced by humans. Starting in the 1800s, invasive mammal species like pigs, goats, mice and cats devastated native flora and preyed directly on adult birds and eggs. By 1978 only an estimated 500 birds survived.

Targeted removal efforts of invasive mammals began in the 1990s by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and led to the complete eradication of goats by the early 2000s. With predators controlled, some recovery of forest habitats and bird numbers occurred. More pigs and cats have since been culled and all three islands were officially declared predator free by 2020, but maintenance efforts continue.

Despite progress, risks still remain from the harsh environment, nest site availability, disease and the potential return of invasive predators that could quickly reverse positive trends. Continued monitoring and protection work of both the parakeets and the islands themselves offers hope that one day this unusual parrot may no longer be endangered.

Conclusion

The Antipodes Island Green Parakeet stands out as the only endemic parrot species found in the New Zealand archipelago. Over centuries of evolution in separation on remote rugged islands, it has diverged into a uniquely colorful and sounding bird.

But with less than 1,000 surviving individuals restricted to a tiny range and facing threats new and old, this extraordinary parakeet needs support. Targeted conservation efforts over recent decades offer some hope through habitat restoration and strict predator control.

However, the challenges of its isolated island ecology mean the future of the species is still under threat. This makes ongoing population monitoring and maintenance of invasive predator-free status for the Antipodes Islands absolutely critical.

The importance of the endangered Antipodes Green Parakeet extends far beyond its vibrant green feathers. As New Zealand battles biodiversity crises affecting many native species, saving this rare island parrot symbolizes the protection of wildlife and unique island ecosystems at risk across the world’s oceans. Perhaps through committed stewardship guided by the māori ethic of guardianship over land and nature, the islands’ endemic birds can be secured well into the future.