The three species of kākāriki (also spelled "kakariki", without the macrons), or New Zealand parakeets, are the most common species of parakeets in the genus "Cyanoramphus", family Psittacidae. The birds' Māori name, which is the most commonly used, means "small parrot". The etymology is: from "kākā", parrot + "riki", small. The word is also used to refer to the colour green because of the birds' predominantly green plumage. The patches of red on the birds' rumps are, according to legend, the blood of the demigod Tāwhaki.