PARROTS IN NEW ZEALAND©
New Zealand and its off shore islands, is the home to 8 distinct species of parrot together with many exotic species - mainly from Australia.
NATIVES TO NEW ZEALAND
They include:- Kakapo (featured right), Kaka (both North and South Island sub species), Kea, Antipodes or Unicolor Parrot and the Kakariki (Red, Yellow Crowned & the Orange Fronted).
There are also, two subspecies of the Red & Yellow Crowned Kakariki found on the Chatham Islands east of New Zealand.
Each of these parrots is comprehensively covered in various articles in our magazine PARROT.
Of special importance to the Parrot Society of New Zealand, is the Kakapo - a stylised sketch of which is our patented logo found throughout this web site.
The Kakapo is the world's heaviest parrot, with cock birds weighing in from around 3.5 Kilograms - heavier than many chickens found in supermarket freezers. Unfortunately, this parrot is struggling to survive with fewer than 60 birds in existence and only one female bred in the last decade.
The Parrot Society closely follows the progress of this unique parrot that cannot be bred in conventional aviaries.
Subscribe to the Parrot Society now to keep up to date on how this and other New Zealand parrots breed in this country.
EXOTIC PARROTS IN NEW ZEALAND
Exotic parrots were first introduced into New Zealand in 1928 with the importation from Australia of the budgerigar and in following decade, most of the other Australian species together with some from Africa and Asia. Very few were imported from South America or the Indonesian Islands.
Some species died out, but the vast majority of the Australian ones thrived and are today bred in relatively large numbers given the size of the avicultural base in New Zealand with a total population of only 3.5 million people.
Many of the Australian Cockatoos still command good prices here eg NZ$1000 for a Galah or Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, or Major Mitchells for NZ$5000 each.
South American species are still quite rare and fetch outrageous prices compared to that in the USA or Europe eg NZ$15,000 for a Blue & Gold Macaw.
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We will be pleased to receive further articles and information of interest to add to our Web Site or for publication in our Magazine.
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