Kakarik parrot: description, types, features of keeping and breeding

Not so long ago, a special kind of parrot appeared on the market - kakariki. Fans of birds as pets are increasingly choosing these birds. New Zealand kakariki parrots are distinguished by their energy and great curiosity in the world around them. Before purchasing them, it is recommended to learn about all the features of birds and the nuances of their content.

• These birds differ in that they have fairly strong legs and a powerful beak.
• The maximum length of the case is 30 cm. Their weight usually does not exceed 90 g.
• The maximum age of parrots can vary from 10 to 20 years - they rarely live longer.
• Mostly birds have a green color, but the color of plumage depends on the breed of cocoa nuts. Most often you can find green, yellow and red New Zealand birds.
• Birds are distinguished by their hyperactivity, which is of great interest to lovers of parrots.
• Kakariki live in New Zealand and on islands nearby.
• Due to the fact that birds rarely use their wings, they spend most of their time on the ground. They need wings only in situations that are extremely life-threatening.
• New Zealand parrots are very curious and almost never sit idle.
• The birds dwell for themselves not far from the ground: this is usually the hollow of trees or the roots of various shrubs.
• Like many members of the parrot family, kakariki can talk.

The number of these wonderful New Zealand birds becomes less and less every year, so the species is considered endangered. The reason for this is large-scale deforestation. To preserve the population, people create special nurseries for the life and reproduction of kakariks. The conditions in them are close to the wild, so the birds do not even feel the difference.

Those who at least once kept parrots at home know that it is much more difficult to distinguish them by sex than our usual pets, such as cats or dogs.

It is believed that determining the gender of kakariks is quite simple. Feathered males differ in size from females. The same can be said about weight: on average, the kakarik boy is 20 g more. The beak and head of the male are more massive than that of females.

Owners of this variety of birds emphasize that males are very noisy and overly active, which can not be said about females. Usually the latter are more balanced and less mobile.

If you need to get a parrot that can talk well, it is recommended to give preference to male kakariks. Females are not able to show successful results in speaking skills, as they do not possess the necessary perseverance and are less curious than males.

If it is difficult to determine the gender, it is best to find out from a specialist. Feathered kakariki differ not only externally, but also internally, and this must be considered when buying them. There are several basic principles for distinguishing the sex of parrots. We will talk about them below.

• As mentioned earlier, you can determine the sex of birds by comparing their sizes. For this reason, it is not recommended to buy a bird if it is in a single copy in the store, since the floor is very difficult to install in such conditions. Thanks to the comparison, you can establish the gender of the birds.
• When choosing a parrot, you can also resort to weighing them. In this case, you need to know that the minimum weight of males is 80 g, and females - 60.
• Gender is determined by the size of the head. In males, it is several times larger.
• The female and male are distinguished by the size of their beak. Male kakariki have a beak much wider and larger. Females have an elongated spot above the beak, which can reach the back of the head.
• Sex of birds is determined by their behavior: males are superior to females in their activity.
• The color of the cornea. In females, it has a flesh-colored body, and in the male half of the kakariks, it is dark blue.

New Zealand parrots are divided into four main varieties, each of which has individual characteristics, therefore, it is very easy to distinguish such parrots.

• Red-faced cocoa. This species of New Zealand bird is characterized by the presence of green plumage. The parrot has a deep blue hue. Also, the bird has a fringing on large feathers. Such individuals got their name due to the presence of a red strip between the eyes, which has a horizontal orientation.

Also, the crown of the bird is painted in raspberry color. The beak of a parrot has a gray color, the tip of which is much darker than the main part. Many representatives of this species have not only a bright green color - yellow plumage, covered with saturated small red spots, is also considered one of the main variations.

• The yellow-faced cocoa. The plumage of this species has a green color. The frontal part is often colored red, and the headstone is yellow. There are also small red spots above the tail at the back of the hull. The yellowhead beak has a pale blue hue, its tip is painted black.

• Mountain Kakarik. This species of flightless parrot from New Zealand has a rich green color of plumage. The abdominal part of the body is painted in light green color.The frontal part has a characteristic red tint. The beak of mountain parrots is gray, with bluish tides.

• Antipodean Kakarik. The main plumage of the representatives of this species of New Zealand birds is colored green, with yellowish tides in the abdominal region. The elytra is lilac. The beak of antipodal birds has a characteristic gray color, smoothly turning to black at the tip. Feathered legs are also painted gray.

Like any pet, a kakarik needs in a certain care.

• High humidity.
• The average temperature is about 17 degrees Celsius. Feathered heat is extremely negative. Temperature differences also badly affect the well-being of the bird.
• New Zealand birds should be protected from drafts.
• It is necessary to devote a lot of time to birds, play with them and indulge in toys.

If you know the basic recommendations, you can arrange a place for the bird. In the wild, birds live in nests or hollows of trees, while at home it is recommended to keep the cacarika in a cage, and you should regularly take care of the birds.

A cage for keeping a parrot should be large. This applies to both the height of the structure and the floor area. Such criteria must be taken into account, because the bird spends most of its time on the ground.

Given these parameters, we can conclude that kakariki need to install an aviary. The room must be well lit and warm. There should be enough space in this type of cage, as New Zealand parrots are active and restless birds.

Do not forget about the placement of a feeder and a drinking bowl in a cage. For increased humidity, a small container of water can be installed in the aviary. In the heating season, you need to monitor the air humidity, since during this period the air in the house is dry.

Care consists of careful bird watching. They should be protected from traumatic objects in the house, since, unlike many representatives of parrots, kakariki are deprived of the instinct of self-preservation.

The aviary in which the bird lives, should be cleaned at least once a week. From time to time it is necessary to clean the parrot feeders.

For the New Zealand parrot, it is recommended to make the right diet. There is nothing complicated in this process. Feed the bird you need soft in its structure feed. They make up 1/3 of the feathered diet.

Also, birds eat millet or oats. Servings should not be large. Kakariki need vitamins and saturation of the body with minerals, so from time to time you should use nutritional supplements during feeding. As such vitamins, sepia or chalk can be used. Sand is also sometimes added.

Juicy food means the inclusion of various fruits and vegetables in the diet. It is also recommended to give preference to greens and various berry crops. Among the variety, the optimal components for the diet of the bird can be identified:

• kiwi;
• carrot;
• peaches;
• celery;
• apricots
• grapes;
• apples
• Chinese cabbage;
• pears.

If you need to get a kakarika, you need to understand that getting an intelligent and obedient pet right away is almost impossible. To do this, the bird needs to learn a lot.

Another difficulty when buying a tropical pet is that it is not intended for keeping at home. Kakariki live in packs in the jungle. For this reason, the period of adaptation to new conditions can last a long time. In this case, the bird needs the support of a new owner.

To accustom the feathered to hands, it is necessary to carry out necessary actions step by step.

• It is recommended to periodically spend a little time near the cell. At first, this must be done daily. Thus, the parrot will cease to be afraid of new owners, and the level of trust will increase. The main thing is to show the bird that a person is a friend to him and in no case an enemy.
• The second stage is to get used to kakarikov hands of a person. To do this, you should spend some time near the aviary, but additionally stick your hands to the parrot and keep them close - so the bird can quickly get used to the hands of its owner.
• The third stage involves repeating the actions of the previous stages and cajoling a parrot with various goodies. After a while, the feathered one will get used to his hands and will not be afraid of them at all.
• After the parrot got used to the person, various games can be added. Kakariki love toys very much - it’s not necessary to buy them, because you can make simple designs to entertain the birds yourself. Normal tickling will already cause a huge amount of positive emotions in a feathered pet.
• At the last stage, the parrot is taught to sit on the finger of the owner.

Kakariki are susceptible to reproduction already at the age of one. Categorically it is not recommended to cross such varieties as the yellow-faced and red-faced New Zealand parrots.

Breeding kakarikov at home is not very difficult, with the exception of some nuances. For example, these birds are very picky in choosing a partner.. After placing the female and the male in the cage, sympathy does not immediately arise - this process can take several days. After some time, sympathy may not even arise. In this case, you need to pick up another parrot.

When sympathy arises, parrots in a rather cute form look after each other and show signs of attention. In this case, the birds water each other with water from the beak and help clean the wings.

After sympathy has been shown, it is necessary to start preparing a bird house. The female lays eggs for several days, and in total this process does not take more than three days. The incubation period lasts on average about 3 weeks.

While the female kakarika hatches eggs, the male provides complete care for her. After three days, chicks hatch from the eggs. Newborn parrots have no plumage. They are also born blind, and they only get the opportunity to see after ten days.

After a month, the plumage appears in the chicks. They feed on mealy worms and egg food. Food is obtained from the beak of the mother.

Forty days after birth, the chicks can already eat on their own and live without parents, but adult parrots look after them for about another 14 days. Two months later, the chicks become completely independent.

During this period of time, parrots should be carefully monitored, as adult birds can subsequently be aggressive towards their offspring. At the first urges, it is best to plant them in different enclosures.

On the Internet you can find many reviews about this species of birds. Many say that it is better to keep ornamental plants away from parrots, since for kakariks this is a tidbit. Due to excessive love for ornamental plants, it is better for the owners of a tropical bird to get rid of plants that have toxic substances in their structure, otherwise it can greatly harm a feathery friend.

Internet users also point out that the food of a parrot should never be subjected to heat treatment - this is bad for a New Zealand bird. It is recommended to saturate their diet with greens and cereals. Also, kakariki give special preference to nuts.

New Zealand parrots feel good in a tropical climate, so they can not adapt well to home conditions.

Due to the injustice of parrots, the water in the drinking bowl is often contaminated, so it is recommended to change it at least twice a day.

About kakariki you can find many positive reviews. The main difficulties of the content are manifested in their injustice. For this reason, in the initial stages you need to be patient.

Also, many owners of feathered pets say that you need to purchase New Zealand birds from breeders.

A story about kakariks - see in the next video.