Macquarie Parakeet
| Macquarie Parakeet | ||||||||||||
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| Cyanoramphus erythrotis | ||||||||||||
| ( Wagler , 1832) |
The Macquarie parakeet or Macquarie parakeet ( Cyanoramphus erythrotis ) is an extinct species of parrot from the genus of the parakeet ( Cyanoramphus ). It was endemic to Macquarie Island in the southwestern Pacific .
features
The Macquarie parakeet was larger and lighter than the parakeet . He reached a height of 27 cm to 30.5 cm. The plumage was generally green, darker on top, lighter and more yellowish on the underside. The forehead, the crown of the head, the stripe behind the eyes and spots on both sides of the rump were red. The outside flags of the hand wings were purple-blue. The beak was a light bluish gray. The tip of the beak was dark gray. The iris was red. Legs and feet were greyish brown. The tail was shorter than the goat's parakeet with a much lighter, olive-colored underside.
Habitat and way of life
Since there are no trees on Macquarie Island, the Macquairie parakeet was a ground dweller . He built his nest under tussock tussocks on the ground or in burrows. He was often to be found on the coast, where he fed on invertebrates , which he found in the washed up seaweed . He also ate a variety of seeds. More is not known about his way of life.
Systematics
The Macquarie Parakeet is widely considered a subspecies of the Goat Parakeet ( Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae ), including by the IUCN and Birdlife International . However, genetic studies from 2001 and 2005 showed that the Macquarie parakeet is more closely related to the antipodal parakeet ( Cyanoramphus hochstetteri ). Therefore, the authors of these studies support a species status, which is also recognized by the International Ornithological Congress .
die out
In the early 19th century, sailors made frequent calls to Macquarie Island, killing a variety of birds, including penguins, railings, and parakeets, in large quantities for food supplies. In 1820 a Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen visited Macquarie Island and collected 20 specimens of the Macquarie parakeet for museums. A live bird was also caught. Parakeets are said to have been relatively common in 1877 and 1880. However, the population declined dramatically over the next ten years and the last specimen of the Macquarie Parakeet was sighted in 1890. Unconfirmed observations are said to have been made in 1891 and 1894. Various factors appear to have contributed to the extinction. In addition to hunting, animals such as cats, rats, dogs, Wekarallen and rabbits are suspected to have stalked the goat parakeets, plundered their nests or destroyed their food sources.
literature
- RH Taylor: How the Macquarie Parakeet became extinct. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 2, 1979: p. 42-45.
- Julian Pender Hume , Michael Walters: Extinct Birds. A & C Black, London 2012. ISBN 140815725X : S. 170-171
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .
- ↑ BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae
- ↑ Boon, Wee Ming; Kearvell, Jonathan C .; Daugherty, Charles H .; & Chambers, Geoffrey K. (2001). Molecular systematics and conservation of kakariki (Cyanoramphus spp.). Science for Conservation 176. Dept of Conservation: Wellington, New Zealand. ISBN 0-478-22031-6
- ↑ Chambers, Geoffrey K .; & Boon, Wee Ming. (2005). Molecular systematics of Macquarie Island and Reischek's parakeets. Notornis 52 (4): 249-250.
- ^ IOC World Bird List Psittaciformes