Kaka
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Kaka, also known as Kākā, (Nestor meridionalis) is a New Zealand parrot endemic to the native forests of New Zealand
.
, but has darker plumage and is more arboreal. The forehead and crown are greyish-white and the nape is greyish-brown. The neck and abdomen are more reddish, while the wings are more brownish. Both sub-species have a strongly patterned brown/green/grey plumage with orange and scarlet flashes under the wings; color variants which show red to yellow coloration especially on the breast are sometimes found.
This group of parrots is unusual, retaining more primitive features lost in most other parrots, because it split off from the rest around 100 million years agohttp://click4biology.info/c4b/5/eco5.4.htm.
The calls include a harsh ka-aa and a whistling u-wiia.
, Codfish Island
and Little Barrier Island. It is breeding rapidly in the mainland island sanctuary at Zealandia (Karori Wildlife Sanctuary
), with over 100 chicks hatched since their reintroduction in 2002.
s. It uses its strong beak to shred the cones of the kauri tree to obtain the seeds. It has a brush tongue with which it feeds on nectar, and it uses its strong beak to dig out the grubs of the Huhu beetle
.
in 1788. There are two subspecies, the North Island
kākā, Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis, and the South Island
kākā, N. m. meridionalis. The name kākā is a Māori language
word meaning "parrot" <kā, 'to screech'.
.
(Strigops habroptila). Together, they form the parrot family Strigopidae, which comprises an ancient group that split off from all other Psittacidae 100 million years ago, before their radiation.
s, possum
s and stoat
s; and competition from wasp
s and bee
s for the honeydew
excreted by scale insect
s. A closely related species, Nestor productus, the Norfolk Island Kaka
, became extinct in 1851 for similar reasons.
As cavity nesters with a long incubation period that requires the mother to stay on the nest for at least 90 days, Kaka are particularly vulnerable to predation. Stoats were the main cause of death of nesting adult females, nestlings and fledglings, but possums were also important predators of adult females, eggs and nestlings. There is strong evidence that predation of chicks and females has led to a serious age and sex imbalance, even amongst ostensibly healthy populations.
In parts of the country, the Department of Conservation and local conservation groups have attempted to control predators of Kaka through the use of trap
s, ground baiting and the aerial deployment of sodium fluoroacetate. Where pest control has been carried out, there has been significant recovery of Kaka populations. For example, in Pureora Forest Park
20 Kaka were radio-tracked in an area to be treated with aerial 1080 in 2001. In nearby Waimanoa Forest, which was not to be treated with 1080, nine Kaka were radio-tracked. In the area where 1080 was used, all 20 birds survived that season. Of the nine birds tagged in the untreated area, five were killed by predators that same season.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Description
The New Zealand Kaka is a medium sized parrot, measuring 45 cm (18 in) in length and weighing from 390 to 560 g (13.8 to 19.8 oz), with an average of 452 g (0.996489425075647 lb). It is closely related to the KeaKea
The Kea is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot...
, but has darker plumage and is more arboreal. The forehead and crown are greyish-white and the nape is greyish-brown. The neck and abdomen are more reddish, while the wings are more brownish. Both sub-species have a strongly patterned brown/green/grey plumage with orange and scarlet flashes under the wings; color variants which show red to yellow coloration especially on the breast are sometimes found.
This group of parrots is unusual, retaining more primitive features lost in most other parrots, because it split off from the rest around 100 million years agohttp://click4biology.info/c4b/5/eco5.4.htm.
The calls include a harsh ka-aa and a whistling u-wiia.
Distribution and habitat
The New Zealand Kaka lives in lowland and mid-altitude native forest. Its strongholds are currently the offshore reserves of Kapiti IslandKapiti Island
-External links:* , Department of Conservation* * , Nature Coast Enterprise *...
, Codfish Island
Codfish Island
Codfish Island or Whenua Hou is a small island located to the west of Stewart Island/Rakiura in southern New Zealand. It reaches a height of close to the south coast. Following the eradication of possums and weka, it is a predator-free bird sanctuary and the focus of Kakapo recovery efforts...
and Little Barrier Island. It is breeding rapidly in the mainland island sanctuary at Zealandia (Karori Wildlife Sanctuary
Karori Wildlife Sanctuary
Zealandia, formerly known as the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, is a protected natural area in Wellington, New Zealand, where the biodiversity of 225 ha of forest is being restored...
), with over 100 chicks hatched since their reintroduction in 2002.
Behaviour
Kaka are mainly arboreal and occupy mid to high canopy. Often seen flying across valleys or calling from the top of emergent trees. They are very gregarious and move in large flocks often containing Kea where present.Diet
The New Zealand Kaka feeds on fruits, berries, seeds, flowers, buds, nectar, sap and invertebrateInvertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s. It uses its strong beak to shred the cones of the kauri tree to obtain the seeds. It has a brush tongue with which it feeds on nectar, and it uses its strong beak to dig out the grubs of the Huhu beetle
Huhu beetle
The huhu beetle, Prionoplus reticularis is the largest endemic beetle found in New Zealand, a member of the longhorn beetle family ....
.
Nesting
New Zealand Kaka make their nests in hollow trees, laying clutches of 2 to 4 eggs in late winter. Both parents assist in feeding the chicks. In a good fruiting year pairs can double clutch often utilizing the same nest hole for the second clutch. It is unusual for a pair to raise more than three chicks in a clutch.Taxonomy and naming
The New Zealand Kaka was described by German naturalist Johann Friedrich GmelinJohann Friedrich Gmelin
Johann Friedrich Gmelin was a German naturalist, botanist, entomologist, herpetologist and malacologist.- Education :Johann Friedrich Gmelin was born as the eldest son of Philipp Friedrich Gmelin in 1748 in Tübingen...
in 1788. There are two subspecies, the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
kākā, Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis, and the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
kākā, N. m. meridionalis. The name kākā is a Māori language
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
word meaning "parrot" <kā, 'to screech'.
.
Classification
The genus Nestor contains four species:- the New Zealand Kaka, N. meridionalis
- the KeaKeaThe Kea is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot...
, N. notabilis - the Norfolk Island KakaNorfolk Island Kaka| name = Norfolk Kaka| image = Nestor productus.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Specimen in La Specola| status = EX | status_system = IUCN3.1| extinct = 1851?| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Chordata| classis = Aves| ordo = Psittaciformes...
, N. productus † - the Chatham Island KakaChatham Island KakaThe Chatham Kaka, or Chatham Island Kākā is an undescribed parrot species previously found on the Chatham Islands, New Zealand. The first individuals were thought to belong to the Kākā , but detailed examination of the subfossil bones showed that they actually belong to a separate endemic species...
, N. sp. †
Origins
All four are thought to stem from a 'proto-kākā', dwelling in the forests of New Zealand 5 million years ago. The closest relative is the KākāpōKakapo
The Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...
(Strigops habroptila). Together, they form the parrot family Strigopidae, which comprises an ancient group that split off from all other Psittacidae 100 million years ago, before their radiation.
Conservation status
The New Zealand Kaka is considered vulnerable (CITES II). It has greatly declined across its traditional range as a result of habitat loss; predation by introduced predators like ratRat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, possum
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s and stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
s; and competition from wasp
Wasp
The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their...
s and bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s for the honeydew
Honeydew (secretion)
Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...
excreted by scale insect
Scale insect
The scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale insects.-Ecology:...
s. A closely related species, Nestor productus, the Norfolk Island Kaka
Norfolk Island Kaka
| name = Norfolk Kaka| image = Nestor productus.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Specimen in La Specola| status = EX | status_system = IUCN3.1| extinct = 1851?| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Chordata| classis = Aves| ordo = Psittaciformes...
, became extinct in 1851 for similar reasons.
Predation
Predatory mammals are responsible for the loss of an estimated 26 million native birds and their eggs each year in New Zealand.As cavity nesters with a long incubation period that requires the mother to stay on the nest for at least 90 days, Kaka are particularly vulnerable to predation. Stoats were the main cause of death of nesting adult females, nestlings and fledglings, but possums were also important predators of adult females, eggs and nestlings. There is strong evidence that predation of chicks and females has led to a serious age and sex imbalance, even amongst ostensibly healthy populations.
In parts of the country, the Department of Conservation and local conservation groups have attempted to control predators of Kaka through the use of trap
Trap
A trap is a device or tactic intended to catch an intruder, enemy, error, or substance.Trap may also refer to:* Giovanni Trapattoni, Italian association football coach and former player known by this name* Bat and trap, an old game related to cricket...
s, ground baiting and the aerial deployment of sodium fluoroacetate. Where pest control has been carried out, there has been significant recovery of Kaka populations. For example, in Pureora Forest Park
Pureora Forest Park
Pureora Forest Park is a protected area in the North Island of New Zealand. Within its rich rain forest are an abundance of 1000 year old podocarp trees. It is “recognized as one of the finest rain forests in the world”...
20 Kaka were radio-tracked in an area to be treated with aerial 1080 in 2001. In nearby Waimanoa Forest, which was not to be treated with 1080, nine Kaka were radio-tracked. In the area where 1080 was used, all 20 birds survived that season. Of the nine birds tagged in the untreated area, five were killed by predators that same season.
Competition
Research has shown that honeydew is very important for breeding birds, especially those breeding in southern beech forests. The difficult nature of controlling the wasps makes the New Zealand Kaka's future very uncertain.Further reading
- Kaka 'back from the brink' after Fiordland 1080 operation takes out predators Department of Conservation website 28 April 2011
- 1080 drop boosts Waitutu kaka Southland Times website 27 April 2011
- Pureora Forest kaka demonstrate benefits of using 1080 poison Waikato Regional Council website
- kaka and 1080 poison 1080: The Facts website (a public education initiative by Forest and Bird and Federated FarmersFederated FarmersFederated Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated is an organisation in New Zealand which lobbies on behalf of its member farmers.It has a network of 24 provinces and seven industry groups. Federated Farmers provides a locally based, democratic organisation that lobbies on farming issues both...
- Effects of a 1080 operation on kaka and kereru survival and nesting success, Whirinaki Forest Park, Powlesland et al (PDF, 400kb) New Zealand Journal of Ecology (2003) 27(2): 125-137
- Effect of controlling introduced predators on kaka in Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project Published on the Department of Conservation website, April 2011
- Project Kaka - a joint Department of Conservation and Animal Health BoardAnimal Health Board (New Zealand)The Animal Health Board commonly known by its acronym, AHB, is an incorporated society, legally responsible for managing and implementing the National Pest Management Strategy for bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand. Its powers derive from the Biosecurity Act 1993 and its mission is to eradicate...
initiative to restore kaka to the TararuaTararuaTararua is a name used in several contexts:*The Tararua Range, in the south-east of New Zealand's North Island*The Tararua District of New Zealand, named for the Range.*The Tararua Forest Park, New Zealand's first forest park...
ranges - Possum-killing poison helps protect New Zealand parrot Scientific American website
- Pest control helps kaka (video) Department of Conservation video
External links
- World Parrot Trust Parrot Encyclopedia - Species Profiles
- BirdLife Species Factsheet.
- Kaka (New Zealand Department of ConservationNew Zealand Department of ConservationThe Department of Conservation , commonly known by its acronym, "DOC", is the state sector organisation which deals with the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage...
) - KakaWatchNZ website - A site dedicated to kaka distribution in the upper North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand - Kaka on NZ Birds website www.NZbirds.com
- Kaka factfile on ZEALANDIA website www.visitzealandia.com