Register      Login
Australian Journal of Zoology Australian Journal of Zoology Society
Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Breeding biology of the critically endangered Malherbe’s parakeet on Maud Island, New Zealand, following the release of captive-bred individuals

Luis Ortiz-Catedral A D , Jonathan C. Kearvell B , Mark E. Hauber C and Dianne H. Brunton A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Ecology and Conservation Group, Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 102-904, Auckland, New Zealand.

B Department of Conservation, Waimakariri Area Office, 15 Albert Street, Rangiora 7400, Canterbury, New Zealand.

C Department of Psychology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, NY 10065, USA.

D Corresponding author. Email: l.ortiz-catedral@massey.ac.nz

Australian Journal of Zoology 57(6) 433-439 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO09098
Submitted: 28 September 2009  Accepted: 14 January 2010   Published: 8 February 2010

Abstract

We studied a population of the critically endangered Malherbe’s parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi), following the release of 62 captive-bred individuals on Maud Island, New Zealand, to identify and characterise nesting sites in a novel island environment. Previous work on Malherbe’s parakeets consisted of limited observations on remnant mainland populations. The age of breeding pairs on Maud Island was 7.2 ± 4.7 months and included both captive-bred individuals of the first release flock and individuals hatched on Maud Island within a year of the first release. Nests were found in hollows of mamaku (Cyathea medullaris), vacant nests of sacred kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus), a hole in the ground and a hollow in a kohekohe (Disoxylum spectabile). Active nests were found in the austral spring, summer and autumn. Clutch size was 5 eggs. The fledging of three Malherbe’s parakeets was confirmed for one nest 43 days after hatching. Observations of newly fledged individuals around the island indicate that at least seven successful nesting attempts occurred. Consistent with other studies in Cyanoramphus parakeets, our results suggest that availability of nesting sites on small islands may not be a limiting factor for the establishment of additional populations of Malherbe’s parakeets via captive breeding and translocation. The formation of breeding pairs at an early age, the use of diverse nesting sites in regenerating vegetation, and the evidence of successful breeding shortly after release on an island represent encouraging prospects for the conservation of New Zealand’s rarest parakeet.

Additional keywords: captive breeding, conservation, parrot, translocation.


Acknowledgements

We thank Andy Grant, Peter Gaze, Mike Aviss, Simon Elkington, Jackie van Hal and Carol Knight from the Department of Conservation for supporting this research and for facilitating the permitting process. We also thank the numerous field volunteers: M. Anderson, B. Baars, S. Bailley, M. Baling, M. Barry, T. Cerhak, M. Delaney, J. and C. de Vries, A. Farr, L. Gunning, A. Gsell, C. Hardy, W. Hendrix, S. Jack, L. Joyce, W. Ji, H. Lindsay, J. Markham, T. Marriot, B. Oldfield, G. Parker, I. Price, T. Price, U. Shanas, R. Thorogood, C. Wedding, L. Whitwell, R. Walle, S. Ward, and D. van Winkel. A special thanks to the rangers on Maud Island who made our fieldtrips enjoyable: Steve Ward, John and Clare de Vries, Richard Walle, Leigh Joyce and their kids Mahina and Liam. This project was funded by the J.S. Watson Conservation Trust of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, Department of Conservation New Zealand and Massey University. All field research was conducted entirely under full ethical and methodological approval (DOC Permit NM 20767-RES). This research is part of a Ph.D. study by the first author and it is financed by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT) and Massey University Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship.


References

Bennett, P. M. , and Owens, I. P. F. (1997). Variation in extinction risk among birds: chance or evolutionary predisposition? Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences 264, 401–408.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Forshaw J. M. (2006). ‘Parrots of the World: an Identification Guide.’ (Princeton University Press: New Jersey.)

Frankham, R. (1995). Conservation genetics. Annual Review of Genetics 29, 305–327.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | Gaze P. , and Cash B. (2008). A history of wildlife translocations in the Marlborough Sounds. New Zealand Department of Conservation, Wellington.

Grant A. D. , and Kearvell J. (2001). Orange-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi) recovery plan, 1999–2005. New Zealand Department of Conservation, Wellington.

Greene, T. C. (2003). Breeding biology of red-crowned parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae) on Little Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Notornis 50, 83–99.
Higgins P. J. (1999). ‘Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds.’ (Oxford University Press: Melbourne.)

Hill R. (2002). Recovery plan for the Norfolk Island green parrot Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cookii. Natural Heritage Trust, Canberra.

Hooson, S. , and Jamieson, I. G. (2003). The distribution and current status of New Zealand saddleback Philesturnus carunculatus. Bird Conservation International 13, 79–95.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Juniper A. T. , and Parr M. (1998). ‘Parrots: a Guide to the Parrots of the World.’ (Yale University Press: New Haven.)

Kearvell, J. C. (2002). Nest sites of sympatric orange-fronted (Cyanoramphus malherbi) and yellow-crowned parakeets (C. auriceps). Notornis 49, 261–263.
McHalick O. (1999). Translocation database summary. Department of Conservation New Zealand, Wellington.

Murphy, S. , Legge, S. , and Heinsohn, R. (2003). The breeding biology of palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus): a case of a slow life history. Journal of Zoology 261, 327–339.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Ortiz-Catedral L. (2006). Breeding ecology of a translocated population of red-crowned kakariki (Cyanomorphus novaezelandiae) on Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand. M.Sc. Thesis, Massey University, Auckland.

Ortiz-Catedral, L. , and Brunton, D. H. (2008). Clutch parameters and reproductive success of a translocated population of red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae). Australian Journal of Zoology 56, 389–393.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Snyder N. F. , Wiley J. W. , and Kepler C. B. (1987). ‘The Parrots of Luquillo: Natural History and Conservation of the Puerto Rican Parrot.’ (Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology: Los Angeles.)

Sol, D. , Timmermans, S. , and Lefevbre, L. (2002). Behavioural flexibility and invasion success in birds. Animal Behaviour 63, 495–502.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Wiley J. W. , Snyder N. F. , and Gnam N. S. (1992). Reintroductions as a conservation strategy for parrots. In ‘New World Parrots in Crisis: solutions from conservation biology’. (Eds S. R. Beissinger and N. F. Snyder.) pp. 165–200. (Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington.)

Yeh, P. J. , and Price, T. D. (2004). Adaptive phenotypic plasticity and successful colonization of a novel environment. American Naturalist 164, 531–542.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Young, J. R. , and Kearvell, J. C. (2001). Distinguishing between sexes and species: bill size in orange-fronted and yellow-crowned parakeets, Cyanoramphus auriceps. Emu 101, 137–143.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |