Blur of bird: One of the 15 birds, which were relocated from the Isaac Wildlife Trust in Christchurch, is freed by Jonathon Cash, 15. The birds could start to breed within a month of being on Blumine Island.New Zealand's most endangered parakeet has found a new home on Blumine Island in the Queen Charlotte Sound.
Fifteen orange-fronted parakeet (or kakariki) were released on the island yesterday in front of members of the Department of Conservation, Te Atiawa and Rangitane iwi.
They did not hesitate in getting to know their new home, with most birds flying the coop as soon as the hatch door was opened.
The species is classified as nationally critical with a high risk of extinction. There are about 300 birds in the wild.
Rangiora DOC ranger Simon Elkington said the 15 birds, which were relocated from the Isaac Wildlife Trust in Christchurch, could start to breed within a month of being on Blumine Island
Orange-fronted parakeet which were placed on predator-free Chalky Island in Fiordland, Maud Island, and Tuhua Island off Tauranga all started breeding within a month of their release, he said.
DOC decided to release the parakeets onto Blumine Island because other parakeet populations have not established themselves there and it is free of predators.
Of the 15 birds, 10 are male and five are female. However, the department hopes to release another 20 birds on the island in late January and build the population up to 40 birds by the end of March, Mr Elkington said.
"By then they should be breeding. As long as there's enough food around, they will go for it," he said.
The move to Blumine Island was about making sure "all our eggs aren't in one basket", in case the mainland population dies out, Mr Elkington said.