Parrot kakarik: description, types, features of keeping and breeding

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

• These birds differ in that they have rather strong legs and a powerful beak.
• The maximum body length 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.
• Most of the birds are green in color, but the color of the plumage depends on the breed of kakariks. The most common green, yellow and red New Zealand birds are found.
• Birds are distinguished by their hyperactivity, which is of great interest to parrot lovers.
• Kakariki live in New Zealand and on the nearby islands.
• Due to the fact that birds rarely use their wings, they spend most of their time on the ground. They only need wings in extremely life-threatening situations.
• New Zealand parrots are very curious and almost never sit around.
• Birds make a dwelling for themselves not high from the ground: usually these are hollows 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 is getting smaller every year, so the species is considered endangered. The reason for this is the 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 wild nature, so the birds do not even feel the difference.

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

There is an opinion that it is quite simple to determine the gender of kakariks. Male birds differ in size from females. The same can be said about weight: on average, a boy kakarik is 20 g more. The beak and head of the male is more massive than that of the females.

The owners of this species of birds emphasize that the males are very noisy and overly active, which cannot be said about the females. Usually the latter are more balanced and less mobile.

If you need to purchase a parrot that is able to talk well, then it is recommended to give preference to male kakariks. Females are not able to show successful results in speaking skills, since they do not have the necessary perseverance and are less inquisitive than males.

If it is difficult to determine the gender, it is best to get it from a specialist. Feathered kakariki differ not only externally, but also internally, and this must be taken into account when buying them. There are several basic principles for distinguishing the sex of parrots. They will be discussed below.

• As mentioned earlier, you can determine the gender of birds by comparing their sizes. For this reason, it is not recommended to buy a bird if it is in a store in a single copy, since the floor is very difficult to install in such conditions. Thanks to the comparison, it is possible to establish the sex 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 that of females is 60.
• Sex is determined by the size of the head. In males, it is several times larger.
• Distinguish between a female and a male by the size of the beak. Male kakariki have a beak much wider and larger. Females have an oblong spot above the beak, which can reach the back of the head.
• The sex of the birds is determined by their behavior: males are superior to females in their activity.
• The color of the cornea of ​​the eye. In females of birds, it has a flesh color, and in the male half of kakariks, it is dark blue.

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

• Red-faced kakarik. This species of New Zealand bird is characterized by the presence of green plumage. The parrot's tail has a deep blue hue. Also, the bird has edging on large feathers. Such individuals got their name due to the presence of a red stripe between the eyes, which has a horizontal direction.

Also, the top of the bird's head is colored crimson. The parrot's beak is gray, the tip of which is much darker than the main part. Many representatives of this species have not only a bright green color - one of the main variations is also yellow plumage, covered with rich small red spots.

• Yellow-fronted kakarik. The plumage of this species is green. The forehead is often colored red, and the forehead is yellow. There are also small red spots on the back of the body above the tail. The beak of yellowheads has a pale blue tint, its tip is painted black.

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

• Antipodal kakarik. The main plumage of representatives of this species of New Zealand birds is colored green, with yellowish tints in the abdominal region. The elytral part is colored lilac. The beak of antipodal birds has a characteristic gray color, smoothly turning to black at the tip. Feathered paws are also painted in gray.

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

• High humidity.
• The average temperature is about 17 degrees Celsius. The birds are extremely negative about the heat. Temperature changes also have a negative effect on 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 pamper them with toys.

With knowledge of the basic recommendations, you can deal with the arrangement of a place for a bird. In the wild, birds live in nests or tree hollows, but at home it is recommended to keep a kakarik in a cage, while you need to regularly look after the birds.

The 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. It is necessary that the room is well lit and warm. There should be enough space in this type of cage, since New Zealand parrots are active and restless birds.

Do not forget about placing a feeder and a sippy cup in the cage. For high humidity in the aviary, you can install a small container with water. During the heating season, you need to monitor the humidity of the air, 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 feathered bird lives should be cleaned at least once a week. From time to time it is necessary to clean the parrot's feeders.

It is recommended to make the right diet for the New Zealand parrot.... There is nothing difficult in this process. You need to feed the bird with feed that is soft in its structure. They make up 1/3 of the bird's diet.

Birds also eat millet or oats. The portions do not have to be large. Kakariki need vitamins and saturation of the body with minerals, so from time to time you should use food supplements during feeding. Sepia or chalk can be used as such vitamins. Sand is also sometimes added.

Succulent 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 all the variety, the optimal components for the poultry diet can be distinguished:

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

If you need to have a kakarik, you need to understand that it is almost impossible to get an intelligent and obedient pet right away. To do this, the bird needs to be taught a lot.

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

To accustom the bird to the hands, you should perform the necessary actions in stages.

• It is recommended to periodically spend some time near the cage. 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 by no means an enemy.
• The second stage is to get used to kakarikov human hands. To do this, you should spend some time near the aviary, but additionally stick your hands to the parrot and keep them nearby - this way the bird will be able to quickly get used to the hands of its owner.
• The third stage involves repeating the actions of the previous stages. and coaxing the parrot with various delicacies. After a while, the bird will get used to the hands and will not be afraid of them at all.
• After the parrot is accustomed to man, different games can be added. Kakariki are very fond of toys - it is not necessary to buy them, because you can make simple designs to entertain the bird yourself. The usual 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 owner's finger.

Kakariki are susceptible to the breeding process already at the age of one. It is strongly not recommended to cross such species as yellow-fronted and red-fronted New Zealand parrots with each other.

Breeding kakariks 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 a female and a male in a cage, sympathy does not arise immediately - 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 feed each other with water from the beak and help clean the wings.

After sympathy has been shown, it is necessary to start preparing the 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 kakarik hatches eggs, the male takes full care of her. After three days, chicks hatch from the eggs. Newborn parrots do not have plumage. They are also born blind, and they get the opportunity to see only after ten days.

After a month, the chicks have plumage. They feed on mealy worms and egg food. Food is obtained from the mother's beak.

After forty days after birth, the chicks can already feed on their own and live without parents, but adult parrots look after them for about 14 more days. After two months, the chicks become completely independent.

During this period of time, you should carefully look after the parrots, as adult birds in the future may be aggressive towards their offspring. At the first urge, it is best to plant them in different enclosures.

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

Internet users also point out that parrot food should not be cooked under any circumstances - this is bad for New Zealand poultry.It is recommended to saturate their diet with herbs and cereals. Also, kakariki give special preference to nuts.

New Zealand parrots do well in tropical climates, so they may not adapt well to home conditions.

Because of the restlessness of parrots, the water in the sippy cup is often contaminated, so it is recommended to change it at least twice a day.

You can find many positive reviews about kakariks. The main difficulties of content are manifested in their restlessness. For this reason, in the initial stages, you need to be patient.

Also, many owners of feathered pets say that it is necessary to acquire New Zealand birds from breeders.

A story about kakarikas - see the next video.