Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet

Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet
Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet
Illustration by Keulemans, 1891
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Platycercinae
Tribe: Platycercini
Genus: Cyanoramphus
Species: C. novaezelandiae
Trinomial name
Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens
Salvadori, 1891[1]
Synonyms
  • Cyanoramphus subflavescens
  • Cyanoramphus cookii subflavescens

The Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens), also known as the Lord Howe Red-fronted Parakeet, was a parrot endemic to Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, part of New South Wales, Australia. It is an extinct subspecies of the Red-fronted Parakeet.

Contents

Taxonomy

Pending molecular analysis, Christidis & Boles (2008) have suggested on biogeographical grounds that the taxon is likely to be most closely related to the Norfolk Island Green Parrot (Cyanoramphus cookii), as either a subspecies of what they have tentatively called the Tasman Parakeet (Cyanoramphus cookii subflavescens), or possibly a full species (Cyanoramphus subflavescens).[2]

Description

By Gönvold

The Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet was a medium-sized green parrot with a crimson cap and eye-stripe. Measurements of specimens indicate that it was slightly larger than the nominate subspecies as well as having yellower plumage and less extensive red markings on the head.[3]

Extinction

The parrot was formerly abundant on the island but was persecuted by the early settlers there because of its raids on their crops and gardens. It was last recorded in 1869.[4][5]

There are only two specimens of the Lord Howe Red-crowned Parakeet in existence. They come from the John Gould collection, taken by John MacGillivray in September 1853 on the voyage of HMS Herald, and are held in the British Museum.[6]

Notes

  1. ^ Salvadori
  2. ^ Christidis & Boles, p.157.
  3. ^ Higgins et al, p.490.
  4. ^ Higgins et al, p.477.
  5. ^ Hindwood, p.63.
  6. ^ Schodde & Mason, p.147.

References

  • Christidis, Les; & Boles, Walter E. (2008). Systematics and taxonomy of Australian birds. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne. ISBN 9780643065116
  • Higgins, P.J. (ed). (1999). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553071-3
  • Hindwood, K.A. (1940). The Birds of Lord Howe Island. Emu 40: 1-86.
  • Salvadori, T. (1891). Descriptions of two new species of parrots of the genus Cyanoramphus in the British Museum. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 7(6): 68.
  • Schodde, R.; & Mason, I.J. (1997). Aves (Columbidae to Coraciidae). In Houston, W.W.K. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 37.2. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne. ISBN 0-643-06456-7