Norfolk Parakeet

Norfolk Parakeet
On Norfolk Island, Australia
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Psittacidae
Genus:	Cyanoramphus
Species:	C. cookii
Binomial name
Cyanoramphus cookii (Gray, 1859)

The Norfolk Parakeet (Cyanoramphus cookii), also called Tasman Parakeet,^[1] Norfolk Island Green Parrot or Norfolk Island Red-crowned Parakeet, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to Norfolk Island (located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia in the Tasman Sea). The species was once considered a subspecies of the Red-fronted Parakeet of New Zealand. The name Tasman Parakeet^[1] is used by Christidis and Boles on the argument that this species and the Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens) are probably a single species for which they use biogeographical arguments. Tasman is used for other species with the same distribution and they propose that name for that reason. However, the latter subspecies was not included in the genus wide phylogenetic reconstruction using DNA sequences, and the lumping of the species should be considered tentative.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.

This species of parakeet was down to only 4 breeding females and 28-33 males in 1994, but its population has since rebounded to 200-300 birds. It is only found in Norfolk Island National Park and the surrounding area.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Christidis, Les; Boles, Walter (2008). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian Birds. Collingwood, Vic: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 157. ISBN 9780643065116. 

• BirdLife International 2006. Cyanoramphus cookii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 24 July 2007.
• Boon, W, Daugherty C & Chambers, G (2001) The Norfolk Island Green Parakeet and New Caledonian Red-crowned Parakeet are distinct species. Emu 101 113-121

External links

• BirdLife Species Factsheet.