276. Sydney Porter—Notes on the Cyanorhamyhus Parrakeets


A short description of the home of this unique bird may be of

interest, and the following is an extract from a letter from the High

Commissioner of New Zealand in London : “ The Antipodes Islands

lie : some 490 miles east-south-east from the southernmost point of

Stewart Island. . . . The largest island is known as Antipodes Island,

and measures 4 miles from east to west and 2 miles from north to south.

At its highest point it reaches an elevation of 1,300 feet. The coast is

rocky and precipitous, with steep slopes covered with tussock rising

from the tops of the cliffs to the high land in the centre of the island.

... The tussock grows from 4 to 6 feet in height in many parts and

so close together that it is a matter of difficulty to force one’s way

through it. There are no trees on the island, but some patches of shrubs,

particularly in the shallow gullies, where rank growth of fern are also

found. In addition to the various seabirds which nest there, the island

is noted for a small Green Parrakeet, which is found fairly plentifully

amongst the tussock grass.”


The weather on this isolated island is far from ideal, terrible gales

and storms sweep over it in the winter time from the Antarctic and

make it anything but a desirable place for a Parrakeet to live on. But

in spite of this it seems to have been able to fight the elements and hold

its own until the coming of the arch-enemy of all feather life, Man,

who seems to have made short work with this highly specialized and

interesting species. The Antipodes Island Parrakeet is about 14 inches

in length and of a uniform yellowish grass-green, with the primary

coverts and the outer edges of the primaries bright blue. The legs are

particularly long and eminently suited for the terrestrial life which the

bird leads.


Some of these birds were transferred to Kapiti Island in 1907,

but there were none there when I visited it. Highly specialized animals

hardly ever thrive when transferred from their own habitat to another.

There is certainly no tussock on Kapiti on which the birds could feed.


Buller says : “ My captive birds seemed perfectly happy although

caged when adult. They partook freely of maize and oats, also of apples,

grapes, figs, and, indeed, ripe fruit of any kind. They could bite

severely, as I soon learned to my cost. . . . Although captured as adult

birds they readily take to confinement and do not fret, as most other



