Justification This species is thought to have suffered declines in the past to the point that it now has a moderately small population, and as a result it is listed as Near Threatened. If predator control continues within parts of its range, habitat recovers and remaining forests are protected, it may warrant downlisting in the future.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author (Kuhl, 1820)

Taxonomic source(s) Boon et al. (2000)

Taxonomic note Cyanoramphus auriceps (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into C. auriceps, C. forbesi and C. malherbi following Boon et al. (2000).

Identification 25 cm. Small bright green parakeet. Yellow-green body; yellow crown; red band from forehead to billl; red patches on flanks; violet-blue on wing coverts. Similar species: C. novaezelandiae has red crown and band from bill to behind eye. Hints: . Voice: Rapid high pitched chatter.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

10,000-19,999

decreasing

64,800 km²

Yes

Range & population Cyanoramphus auriceps is found throughout much of the North, South, Stewart and Auckland Islands, New Zealand, and on several offshore islands, and is uncommon throughout¹. Numbers and range are believed to have declined in the last 100 years. No population estimates exist, and present population trends are unclear, but the species may be stable, and its range may have expanded in some areas².

Ecology: It prefers mixed Nothofagus-Podocarpus forests, usually at higher altitude than C. novaezelandiae, or, where the two occur sympatrically on small islands it is found in denser unbroken forest. It is rarely found in secondary forest, and is absent from logged forests². Breeding occurs mainly in October-December. It feeds on seeds, berries, flowers, roots and insects taken from trees or, in predator-free areas, from the ground.

Threats Past declines have been attributed to deforestation, habitat modification and the introduction of mammalian predators, particularly cats, stoat Mustela erminea and rats^1,2. On offshore islands, Red-crowned Parakeet C. novaezelandiae is usually much more common¹ and may have completely replaced C. auriceps on Solander Island. On Auckland Island, there is an unnaturally high rate of hybridisation between the two species.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II. This species occurs within a number of national parks where forest habitat is protected, but predators still pose a threat. It may be benefiting from efforts to eradicate introduced predators from some offshore islands.

Conservation measures proposed Monitor the population and the proportion of hybrids. Ensure that remaining primary forest is not logged. Re-vegetate islands that have historically been overgrazed.

References 1. Heather and Robertson (1997). 2. Higgins (1999).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Cyanoramphus auriceps. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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