Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae .................................................. By Gideon Scheepers

Description

Mostly green, a bit lighter on the breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts. They have a bright red forehead, crown and a stripe extending to behind eye. There is a red patch on either flank. The flight feathers are violet-blue. They have a silver-blue bill with a dark tip. The feet are grey. They grow to about 27 cm.

 

 

 

Range and Habits

They are found on North and South Islands of New Zealand, and on most of the offshore islands. They are usually found in pairs or small groups in the treetops. They are inquisitive birds and remind me more of cats than birds. They are easily approachable in the wild, and naturally curious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Housing in Aviculture

They can be kept in conventional as well as suspended aviaries. We use suspended aviaries. They love to run along the wire and move more like cats than birds. We place a perch in the front and one near the back under cover, and higher than the back one as birds tend to sleep on the higher perch at night and in this way I know that they are under cover at night. They are supplied with 2 nest boxes, with pine wood shavings filled to a depth of about 5-cm. They will accept just about any decent nestbox; we use cockatiel type 300mm x 300mm x 300mm.

Breeding in Aviculture

They are very willing to breed, maturing at five months. Breeding can begin at any time of year. They will lay a clutch of between 4 and 9 eggs. Incubation starts after the second egg is laid and last 20 days. Chicks fledge after 35 days. The hen will usually lay the second clutch, once the chicks are about 2 weeks old, in the second nest box the male then continues feeding them while she incubates the eggs.

Mutations

There are various mutations established in Aviculture such as Lutino (Sex Linked Yellow (recessive), Cinnamon (Sex linked), Pied (Sex linked), Cinnamon Pied (double Sex linked) and Dilute and Dilute Pied.