Justification This species is listed as Critically Endangered, because it underwent a population crash following rat invasions in 1990-2000, and it now has a very small and severely fragmented population that has declined during the past ten years. However, translocated populations on Chalky Island and Maud Island are apparently now self-sustaining and predators are controlled in its South Island range. Therefore, the species may increase in number in coming years.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author Souancé, 1857

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). 'Malherbe's Parakeet' is used as the common name for C. malherbi because 'Orange-fronted Parakeet' as used in BirdLife International (2000, 2004) is taken by Aratinga canicularis.

Identification 23 cm. Bright green parrot with orange frontal band. Pale lemon-yellow forecrown. Orange patch on sides of rump. Female slightly smaller with proportionally smaller bill. Similar spp. Red-crowned Parakeet C. novaezelandiae has crimson forecrown. Yellow-crowned Parakeet C. auriceps yellow-green. Crimson frontal band. Bright yellow forecrown. Red patch on sides of rump³.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

50-249

decreasing

350 km²

Yes

Range & population Cyanoramphus malherbi is known from three valleys in the South Island of New Zealand which are all known to support small breeding populations: the South Branch Hurunui River valley, the Hawdon River valley, c.25 km apart and the Poulter valley, North Canterbury. Birds were sighted in the North Branch of the Hurunui River valley in 2004 and 2005. A sighting of a single bird from the Eglington Valley, Southland (1990-1991) was reported. Unconfirmed sightings from three further valleys during the 1990s are known. In 1999-2000 the population crashed from 200-500 birds to numbers in the low tens as a result of ship rat irruptions in two successive summers. The population appears to have stabilised at low levels since then. It was once present in the North, most of the South, and Stewart Islands. Range contraction is apparently ongoing, with searches failing to find populations present in the 1960s and 1980s³. Surveys in December 2006 found that an earlier translocation to Chalky Island in Fiordland has been successful, with birds breeding and the population expanding to utilise all corners of the island¹¹; and 25 birds have now been released on to Maud Island with successful breeding already recorded¹³. Overall, the global population is now thought to number 200-300 individuals¹³.

Ecology: It is restricted to beech Nothofagus forest, though may not have been historically. It requires mature trees with natural hollows or cavities for nesting. Breeding is linked with the irregular seeding of Nothofagus when numbers can increase substantially. It feeds on seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers, buds and invertebrates⁴.

Threats The impact of introduced predators, principally stoat Mustela erminea and rats Rattus spp., is likely to be the primary cause of decline³, with recent population crashes being due to rat irruptions. The species's hole-nesting behaviour leads to a reduced ratio of females in the population due to predation on the nest². Silviculture of beech forests aims to harvest trees at an age when few will be mature enough to develop suitable cavities, so sufficient nest holes are unlikely in managed beech forest⁸. The species forages in low-growing shrubs and such lower forest levels have been subject to heavy browsing by cattle, deer and possums, altering the forest structure¹⁰.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II (1981). Hawdon and Poulter valleys are located within Arthur's Pass National Park and the Hurunui South Branch is in Lake Sumner Conservation Park¹⁴. Monitoring and conservation of this species is problematic given the difficulty in separating it from C. auriceps. The Hurunui population is contained within a "Mainland Island" which aims to protect and restore two river valleys through integrated pest management, including minimising numbers of M. erminea. Monitoring of nests will verify whether this is allowing numbers to stabilise and expand. The Hawdon population received M. erminea control only during plague years, which occur, on average, every four years⁵. However, following the dramatic decline in the parakeet population after failure to effectively control predators, rat poisoning and stoat trapping are more extensive within the Hurunui 'mainland island'¹². All three valleys are now part of the 'Operation Ark' initiative targetting rat and stoats in South Isand beech forest sites. Every nest found is also individually protected with tin tree wraps (to prevent access by predators) and a circle of traps at the base of the nest tree¹⁴. Work has been successful at establishing a captive population used in the reintroduction of birds to Chalky Island in Fiordland, which is free from predators¹⁰. A reintroduction of birds on to Maud Island is underway, and wild-bred birds are now nesting on the island. Population monitoring was due to be formalised in the 2008/2009 breeding season. The Department of Conservation is currently planning further translocations to a third island, in Fiordland¹⁴.

Conservation measures proposed Complete survey of former/possible populations. Develop a technique to accurately monitor numbers. Study breeding biology and ecology. Stabilise and increase numbers in the Hurunui and Hawdon valleys by predator control, and monitor effectiveness. Train people in the identification of the species⁵. Following the success of translocations to Chalky Island and Maud Island, establish further populations on predator-free offshore islands.

References 2. Elliott et al. (1996). 3. Higgins (1999). 4. Kearvell (1999). 5. J. Kearvell in litt. (1999). 6. Taylor (1998). 7. Triggs and Daugherty (1996). 8. Kearwell (2002). 9. R. Hitchmough in litt. (2005). 10. Duncan and van Hal (2004). 11. Anon (2007). 12. Keey (2004). 13. T. Greene in litt. (2007). 14. J. van Hal in litt. (2008).

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Rachel McClellan (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors T. Greene (Department of Conservation), Rod Hitchmough (Department of Conservation), J. Kearvell, Jack van Hal (Department of Conservation)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Cyanoramphus malherbi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums