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Show me the green
ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary

Show me the green

Over the next few weeks, if you happen to wander by a māpou/red matipo tree you might hear a soft pitter-patter of dropping fruit or perhaps the occasional quiet chatter. Pause for a moment, peer upwards, and see if you can spot the source of the noise: a kākāriki/red-crowned parakeet. Māpou is one of the favourite snacks of this valley resident. On nice sunny days, kākāriki will often be found in the high branches of māpou, indulging in the dark purple delicacies. Kākāriki are social manu/birds, so if there’s one, there are likely to be a few others in or around the same tree.  

So have a look and see if you can find this elusive species that is often around, but not often seen. 

He meka reka/fun fact: Previous studies have found that kākāriki will often make long pilgrimages in order to access their favoured food. In Wellington, for example, large tōtara trees act as homing beacons for kākāriki when they produce fruit in late summer or early autumn.

Photo by Rebecca Chrystal

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