Red-crowned Kākāriki
The Forest Chatterbox
The red-crowned kākāriki is a small, vibrant parrot native to New Zealand, with bright green feathers and a striking red patch on its head.
Curious, playful, and highly social, these birds are active during the day, hopping, flying, and calling as they forage through forests and scrublands.
Facing threats from habitat loss and predation, Willowbank supports its conservation through on-site breeding and education, helping safeguard this energetic and vocal species.
Red Crowned Kākāriki Facts
New Zealand
Endemic to New Zealand, Red-crowned kākāriki are mainly found in native forests, scrublands, and offshore islands. They thrive in areas with plenty of trees and shrubs for food, shelter, and nesting.
Native forests
Found in dense native forests, scrublands, and regenerating bush, often near streams or forest edges. These habitats provide food, shelter, and safe nesting sites for these small, active parrots.
Omnivore
Red-crowned kākāriki are omnivores, feeding on seeds, fruits, berries, nectar, and insects. They use their strong, curved beaks to forage through foliage and bark, often exploring in playful flocks.
Active
Red-crowned kākāriki are social, and curious. Mostly active during the day, their playful and inquisitive nature makes them a lively part of New Zealand’s native forests.
22-23cm
Red-crowned kākāriki stand about 10–12 cm tall, with their length including tail feathers reaching 22–23 cm.
10-15 years
Red-crowned kākāriki can live for 10–15 years in the wild, with some individuals surviving longer in protected or captive environments.
Endangered
Classified as Endangered, populations are threatened by habitat loss, predation from introduced mammals, and human disturbance.
Native Area
These active little parrots can be found in the natives area of the Reserve.
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