Difference Between Kākāriki Karaka and Other Kākāriki: The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary

🟠 What’s the Difference Between Kākāriki Karaka and Other Kākāriki? 💚💛❤️
It’s easy to confuse kākāriki karaka (orange-fronted parakeet) with their yellow- or red-crowned cousins — especially at a distance. But once you know what to look (and listen) for, the differences are striking.
👀 Spot the difference
Kākāriki karaka have a lemon-yellow crown and a bright orange band just above the beak — not red like yellow-crowned or red-crowned kākāriki or a golden yellow in yellow-crowned kakariki.
They also have azure blue on their wings and rump patches that are orange (not crimson).
Juveniles are duller and slightly bluer in colour, and IDing them can be tricky — even experts struggle!
👂 Heard more than seen
These birds are famously hard to spot, often giving away their presence only with a soft chatter or squeak. They spend much of their time high in the beech canopy, only sometimes dropping low to feed on invertebrates or drink from a stream.
🌿 Rare and range-restricted
Once widespread, kākāriki karaka are now confined to just a few valleys in Canterbury and a handful of predator-free sites — including the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. They rely heavily on the pest-free beech forest habitat, like here at the Sanctuary.
🌟 Smallest and rarest
Of Aotearoa’s kākāriki species, kākāriki karaka are the smallest — and also the most endangered. Every vote helps raise awareness for their protection!
📸 Photos by @Sean McGrath
🧡 Vote kākāriki karaka for Bird of the Year

#KākārikiKaraka #BirdOfTheYear2025 #KnowYourKākāriki #EndangeredSpecies #BrookSanctuary #BOTY2025 #BackFromTheBrink #NativeBirdsNZ

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