Orange-fronted parakeet or Malherbe's parakeet is a small parrot endemic to New Zealand. It is known in te reo māori as kākāriki karaka or orange-fronted kākāriki, with kākāriki translating to 'small parrot' and the colour green. The species shares the name "orange-fronted parakeet" with Eupsittula canicularis, a Central American species. Restricted to a few valleys in the South Island, its population declined to around 200 in the 1990s, and it is considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Nationally Critical by the New Zealand Threat Classification System. The parakeet has since been translocated to several islands and a fenced mainland site.
Region
South Island of New Zealand and predator-free offshore islands
Typical Environment
Naturally occurs in montane and lowland beech (Nothofagus) forests of Canterbury, especially along river valleys such as the Hawdon and Hurunui. It favors mature forest with ample tree cavities for nesting and dense understory near streams. Birds have been translocated to fenced sanctuaries and offshore islands to escape mammalian predators. Outside breeding, they range through forest edges and riparian corridors and will forage on the ground for fallen seed.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called Malherbe’s parakeet or orange-fronted kākāriki, this small parrot is restricted to a few beech-forest valleys of New Zealand’s South Island and selected predator-free islands. It was once confused with the yellow-crowned parakeet but is now recognized as a distinct species. Numbers crash after beech mast events due to predator irruptions, so intensive pest control and translocations are critical. The common name “orange-fronted parakeet” is also used for a different Central American species, Eupsittula canicularis.
Adult with its orange frontal band
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with swift, direct flight
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups, forming looser flocks outside the breeding season. Nests in natural tree cavities, with the female incubating while the male provisions her. Breeding output increases in beech mast years, and multiple broods can be raised when food is abundant.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
High-pitched trills and rapid chattering notes, interspersed with sharp 'kek-kek' calls. Contact calls are thin and piercing, carrying well through forest habitats.
