My current project: Breeding and disease ecology of New Zealand endemic parrots: Red-fronted Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) and Malherbe’s Parakeet (C. malherbi)

New Zealand is a hotspot of parrot diversity with eight endemic species in three genera: Strigops (Kakapo), Nestor (Kea and Kaka) and Cyanoramphus (Parakeets or kakariki). The genus Cyanoramphus is particularly diverse with five species found throgout the archipelago from subtropical forests in the Kermadec Islands to sub-antarctic grasslands on Antipodes Islands. No other place on earth has more species of Cyanoramphus! Man-induced habitat modification and the introduction of mammalian predators such as rats, stoats and cats have resulted in population declines for all species and currently all New Zealand parrots are listed under categories of threat from vulnerable to critically endangered. To identify and succesfully implement management programes aimed at increasing the population size of these species, we must understand as much as we can about their breeding biology and arising threatening factors. Since 2004 we have monitored the nesting success and population biology of Red-fronted Parakeets on four islands: Tiritiri Matangi, Motuihe, Little Barrier and Raoul. Also we have studied a reintroduced population of Malherbe’s Parakeets on Maud Island and ours is the first study on an island population of this rare species. To minimise disturbance we have installed infra-red wireless mini-cameras inside nesting sites, which allows us to quantify the parental effort of breeding pairs and the development of the brood. We have also collected feather, blood and faecal samples to generate baseline information about the pathogens present in these two parakeet species. Another exciting part of this project was the establishment of a new population of Red-fronted Parakeets by translocating them from a remnant wild population to a predator-free island where they breed succesfully. This translocation was a good opportunity to refine catching and transfer techniques for parakeets and it was also a huge leap forward towards understanding the ecology of parakeet diseases. All the information gathered during this project represents the basis of a new approach for the conservation of New Zealand parrots. This is because it incorporates novel information on pathogens present in the wild that could become a further threatening factor for small, isolated and genetically depauperated populations.