The kākāriki karaka, also known as the orange-fronted parakeet, is New Zealand’s rarest mainland forest bird. Around the world, it was estimated that the population of this critically endangered species ranged between 100-300. But this breeding season has apparently been the most the fruitful in decades for this long-tailed bird.
According to a new report, 150 chicks having been born, potentially doubling the bird’s population. Thus far, conservations have found 31 kākāriki karaka nests in the wild in Canterbury this season — which is more than three times the number found in recent years — and nesting season is expecting to continue for several months.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation cited the abundance of beech seed – one of the bird’s main dishes – as the reason behind their successful breeding spree.
