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Parea - Chatham Island pigeon |
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The Chatham Island pigeon or parea (Hemiphaga chathamensis) is one
of two species of native pigeon in New Zealand.
Twenty percent heavier than the NZ pigeon, its dorsal plumage and upper
breast is more purple and pearl-grey than its mainland counterpart, but it has
the same white lower breast, shoulder straps and belly. The bill is red with and
orange tip.
Parea fly with noisy wingbeats, and during the breeding season they perform
conspicious display dives - flapping upwards from their perch and then stalling
and diving sharply down.
Parea feed on a wide range of leaves and fruit with hoho (Pseudopanax
chathamicus) being particularly important. Parea spend considerable time
on the ground grazing and often nest close to the ground, making them easy targets for feral cats.
While relatively rare and confined to the south-west of Chatham
Island, numbers have grown in the past few years and it can often be
seen from the roadside in the vicinity of Awatotara stream. Sightings
of parea can be reported online here.
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Parea |
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