Species in focus ~ Red fronted kakariki

I have decided to add another part to the blog, which I'm calling 'Species in focus'. I will try to do a different bird as often as I can between other blog posts. First off I will start with the red fronted kakariki, as they're on my favourite birds and I have been keeping them for a long time. Here's a short, sharp guide on caring for these wonderful animals that I previously wrote 

Kakarikis are a small species of parrot which originate from New Zealand. They are otherwise known as red crowned parakeets thought they are not to be confused with the Rosifron conure which is also known as the red crowned parakeet. Their latin name is Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae. There are three subspecies, the Chatham Island red crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae chathamensis), the Kermadec red crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cyanurus) and the Lord Howe red crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens) which is now extinct

They are currently listed as a vunerable species. Their decline is mostly due to introduced species, especially rats, possums and stoats. They were once considered extinct on the mainland of New Zealand, however, records show that small groups of them still exist though most are suspected captive birds who have been released or who have escaped their enclosures

The red fronted kakariki is a predominately green bird with bright red plumage on their forehead and crown. They also have a red stripe across their eye and small red patched either side of the lower back. Their under tail coverts are a more yellowish-green. They have red irises, grey feet and a silver bill that ends in a black tip. Their outer flight feathers are a dark blue. Immature birds look similar to adults, though their irises are usually a dark brown or very deep red, have less red on their heads and have slightly shorter tails. They average on length between 27-29cm and have a wingspan of around 5 inches. They come in a variety of colour mutations including (but not limited to) lutino, dominant and recessive pied, cinnamon and buttercup (a yellow bird with black eyes). Mutations such as the lutino look a lot different to the nominate bird. Though they still have a red crown and eye stripe, they are bright yellow with a pink bill and pink feet. Flight feathers are often pale yellow or white. In captivity, mutations tend to be more popular than the nominate bird colour and so various programmes have been set up to conserve the 'normal' red fronted kakariki before they become completely unavailable

Black eyed buttercup red fronted kakariki, Flash
One of the many readily available mutations for this
delightful psittacine

Sexing the red fronted kakariki is fairly simple, especially if you have another bird to compare them to. Females are usually quite a lot smaller with a narrower head. Males often have large beaks 

Their housing requirements are a bit more tricky that that of other species. Although for every bird, bigger is always better, the rule really does apply to this species. Kakarikis are very high energy psittacines and need a large space to constantly move around in. If you wanted a red fronted kakariki as a companion parrot, you'd have to get the largest cage you possibly could. Even flight cages are fairly inadequate. A very large cage with small bar spacing is perfect so long as the bird can spend a lot of time out of it. The preferable way for keeping kakarikis is that they live in large aviaries. An aviary about 12ft long x 6ft wide x 6ft high would be ideal, though they can live in smaller providing that they are given a wide variety of enrichment 

Kakarikis are hard to keep entertained due to their high energy and endless curiosity. A wide variety of toys that they can shred, forage in etc. are appreciated and can help keep the birds occupied while they are in their enclosure. Kakarikis do best with natural enrichment. Natural perches are a must and they enjoy stripping the bark off themselves. Variety is key. In an aviary, leaf litter on the ground becomes a great foraging opportunity. A cardboard tube stuffed with newspaper and some treats hidden amongst the leaf litter would be even more fun. You have to get creative with them otherwise you'll have a bored and unhappy bird

Kakarikis love to climb (especially upside down) so make sure that the top of their cage isn't solid or their aviary is mesh. They usually run around upside down on the tops of cages/aviaries when they're trying to burn off any built up energy. I do not recommend clipping the wings of any bird, but especially not a kakariki. They are extremely agile fliers and can go from running to flying in the blink of an eye (you try returning them to their cage and find out how agile they are then!). They will often fly towards a wall and bail at the last second. They're very good at it, even if it is quite terrifying. They are very fast birds. Clipping them would be unfair and would take this amazing ability away. A high energy bird who can't fly would suffer from a lot of mental and physical issues

Chewee, dominant pied, 'hanging around'
Kakarikis are the masters of being upside down!

Being as they are so curious and high energy, keeping them safe can be quite difficult. They will get into absolutely anything and everything. Make sure cats, dogs etc. cannot get to them while they're out and any plants are removed. As terrible as it may sound, they're probably one of the easiest birds to tread on. When they're whizzing around running and flying, be careful where you step. Female kakarikis will bury themselves under/in furniture so always be aware of where your bird is, just in case anybody sits on them. Luckily, they aren't very destructive 

All of that being said, they aren't the most hands on birds to have as companion parrots. If you're wanting a fussy, cuddly bird then a kakariki is not for you. They love to hang out with you and on you but touching them is often a no go. Kakarikis will enjoy your company (and your food!)

They aren't particularly noisy birds, but they do chatter away quite often. They have a fairly enjoyable call too. I have heard of some kakarikis talking, though not many do. My first picked a few words and phrases up 

Kakarikis do not usually need their nails trimming due to the way they forage using their feet. They scratch around like chickens 

Feeding any psittacine is tricky to get right, but luckily, kakarikis are fantastic eaters who will often readily try just about anything you can hand to them. Again, variety is key. They enjoy food in all forms (cooked, raw, chopped, grated) and so giving them a daily variety is easy. I do not feed mine chop like I have done with my companion birds. The kakarikis eat things as they are usually and I try to make most days different. They get fresh veg and greens (kakarikis seem to have a personal favourite, carrots!) along with some cooked beans and grains. They occasionally get Harrison's High Potency Super Fine mixed in with their fresh foods. Because they are so high energy, feeding them little and often helps. Portions should be kept small so they do not waste what they're given. As well as the fresh foods, they also get a wide variety of seeds, nuts and dried goodies. I personally like to give them Versele Laga's Large Australian Parakeet for their seed mix and just add other bits and bobs to it afterwards. They also get dried herbs and seaweed on a small plate once a week that they are free to take what they want from. Fresh water at all times is a must and they will bathe all year round. They love getting the bowls as dirty as they can so keeping them clean is vital 

They usually have a short lifespan according to most sources, anywhere between 8-10 years old. However, I have known kakarikis live to be anywhere between 15-20 years + with the correct care. I recommend using F10 to clean everything as they can be very messy (especially when they're kicking their food around)

Breeding kakarikis is fairly simple. They require the same box that a breeder would use for a large parakeet or cockatiel with a thin layer of bedding. They will often lay (and successfully hatch) large clutches ranging on average form between 5 to 12 eggs. They hatch between 19-20 days later and within 6 weeks the chicks will have left the nest. The chicks wean quickly and the parents usually attempt to double clutch

Ralph, cinnamon, guarding his nest 

I do not recommend mixing kakarikis with other species, whether that be indoors or in aviaries. They can be gentle with other birds so long as you're keeping an eye on them but in an aviary environment, especially if they're coming into breeding season, they can be another bird's worst nightmare. They're often too high energy for other birds to cope with them and can go from playing rough to killing another bird in seconds

Although they do not mix well with other parrots, kakarikis
can be excellent companions for doves and finches