Chatham Islands Pigeon – eats fruit on the chatham islands

eats fruit on the chatham islands

Size: Length: 50-55 cm, Weight: 600-800 g
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Diet: Herbivorous. Feeds on leaves, buds, flowers, and fruit. Prefers berries of native trees including mahoe, karamu, and matipo. Swallows fruit whole.
Habitat: Native forest, scrubland, and coastal vegetation of the Chatham Islands. Prefers mature forest with abundant fruiting trees.
Range: Endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand. Found on the main Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Absent from smaller islands in the group.
Endemism: Endemic
Main Threats: Historically threatened by introduced predators including rats, cats, and pigs. Currently threatened by habitat loss and occasional predator incursions.
Population: Global population estimated at 400-500 birds, restricted entirely to the Chatham Islands. Classified as Nationally Endangered by DOC, after recovery from near-extinction.
Conservation Status: Nationally Vulnerable
Human Risk: harmless
Handling Note: endangered native pigeon, do not approach or disturb
Conservation Note: Endemic pigeon restricted to the Chatham Islands; threatened by predation and habitat modification.
Assessment: NZTCS Birds (2021)
Te Ao Māori: Parea is the Moriori and Māori name for this Chatham Islands pigeon. For the Moriori people of Rēkohu, the parea was a significant food source. It was a bird of the forest. Its near-extinction and subsequent recovery mirror the story of the Moriori people themselves. The parallel is striking. Both faced existential threats. Both survived against odds. The parea is now a symbol of resilience. It represents the power of conservation. It is a living link to the past. It connects the people to the land. The bird is respected. It is protected. It endures.

A large, heavy pigeon that lives only on the Chatham Islands. The parea is a cousin of the New Zealand kererū. It is larger, darker, and rarer. A few hundred birds survive on the main Chatham Island and Pitt Island. They are recovering. Slowly. The progress is measurable but fragile. The plumage is dark green-bronze above. It is white below. A purple sheen covers the head and breast. The bill is red. The eye is red. The feet are red. The bird is handsome. It is also vulnerable. The colouration is striking against the forest backdrop. It does not hide well. It relies on height and wariness. It feeds on leaves, buds, flowers, and fruit. It prefers the berries of native trees. Mahoe, karamu, and matipo are favoured sources. A parea feeding in a fruiting tree is a heavy presence. The branches bend under its weight. The bird does not care. It eats with focus. It swallows fruit whole. The digestion is slow. The energy return is high. The flight is heavy and direct. Deep, slow wingbeats carry it through the canopy. A parea in the air is a large target. It has learned to be wary. Predators watch from below. The bird knows this. It moves with caution. Breeding takes it to mature forest. The nest is a flimsy platform of twigs. It is built in a tree fork. One egg is laid. Both parents share incubation. The chick grows slowly. It fledges at about six weeks. The investment is significant. The risk is high. The parea was once common on the Chathams. Then came rats, cats, and pigs. The pigeons declined. They vanished from most of their range. By the 1980s, fewer than 100 birds remained. Extinction seemed certain. The numbers were critical. The future was uncertain. Conservationists intervened. They removed pigs from key areas. They controlled predators. They protected the forest. The parea responded. The population climbed to 500. It is still climbing. The recovery is real. It is not complete. The parea is still endangered. One disaster could wipe it out. A fire. A storm. A new predator. The birds have no other home. They are restricted to this small archipelago. The name 'parea' is Moriori. It is the language of the Chatham Islands' Indigenous people. It is also used in Māori. The bird is known by that name on both sides of the ocean. The call is a soft, moaning 'coo-oo'. It is often heard at dawn. On the Chathams, with the wind in the trees, the sound carries. It is a reminder of survival. The parea is a symbol of hope. It came back from the edge. It is still coming back.