Two rare birds captured

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 3

Two rare birds captured

Two birds of a rare New Zealand species were captured by wildlife officers at the week-end, near Lake Sumner.

The capture of the two orange-fronted parakeets may well save the species from possible extinction. A possible sighting of the native bird had not been made for about 15 years, said a Christchurch Wildlife Service Officer (Mr S. G. Moore). Four members of the Wildlife Service, a Department of Scientific and Industrial Research officer, and a private aviculturht went into the Lake Sumner high country on March 12, after the birds had been seen on a previous visit. The birds that were captured have been airfreighted to a Wildlife Service reserve, at Mount Bruce, near Masterton, where attempts will be

made to breed them in captivity.

The orange-fronted parakeet is one of only three parakeet species native to New Zealand. Until now no orange-fronted parakeets were held in captivity in New Zealand, nor had they been for a very long time, said Mr Moore.

The birds were found in the Lake Sumner and Hope River catchment in New Zealand, he said. They were first described in the 1850 s, when flocks were seen in various areas, but during this century sightings of flocks had become increasingly rare. The birds were usually only seen in ones and twos.

The orange-fronted parakeet was thought to reprsent about three to five per cent of the New Zealand parakeet population, Mr Moore said.