Meet kākāpō - NZ bird of the Year 2020

A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa

The kākāpō has been crowned winner of Bird of the Year 2020 by the public

Kākāpō, Birds, Native birds, Conservation, Endangered

And the winner is...

The votes are in! The kākāpō has been crowned winner of Bird of the Year 2020 by the public. This is the parrot's second win, first taking the title in 2008. Bird of the Year is run by Forest & Bird to raise awareness of New Zealand’s unique native birds and the threats they face. See: https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/

Kākāpō wins bird of the year for an unprecedented second time

TV3

kākāpō also known as owl parrot

The kākāpō is the world's only flightless parrot and nocturnal parrot. It's name comes from kākā ("parrot") + pō ("night"). It's round face resembles an owl; hence it is also called owl parrot (Strigops habroptilus), which was named by English ornithologist George Robert Gray in June 1845. (Source: Wikipedia: Kakapo)

The kākāpō has a round face & dark brown eyes that resemble an owl, & is the world's only nocturnal & flightless parrot

Every single kakapo's genome to be sequenced

TV3

Physiology

World's heaviest parrot (0.95-4 kg), 58-64 cm in length, with long tail feathers, short legs, large feet & short wings

Kakapo features high on world rare bird list

Television New Zealand

Skeleton has smallest relative wing size of any parrot; its wing feathers are shorter, more rounded

Kakapo

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Feathers are yellowish moss-green mottled with black or dark brownish grey

Kakapo - parrot of the night

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Although it cannot fly, it is an excellent climber. When on the ground, it moves with a jog-like gait.

Kākāpō juvenile

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

It can climb trees & descend from branches by leaping and spreading its wings like a parachute

Kakapo

Kete Horowhenua

Kākāpō roost under cover in trees or on the ground during the day & have adapted their senses to moving in darkness

Kakapo

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Kākāpō have a well-developed sense of smell & can distinguish between odours while foraging

Kakapo, kākāpō, Owl parrot, Night parrot, Strigops habroptilus

Kete New Plymouth

They have a distinct musty-sweet odour which can alert predators. They freeze when startled to blend into the background

Kakapo, kākāpō, Owl parrot, Night parrot, Strigops habroptilus,

Kete New Plymouth

Kākāpō have a variety of calls. As well as the booms, and chings of their mating calls, they will often loudly skraark.

Voice of the Kākāpō 1: Kākāpō - night parrot

Radio New Zealand

Kākāpō are herbivorous, feeding on fruits, seeds, leaves, stems, and rhizomes

Kākāpō feeding

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

From egg to adult

During the breeding season, males gather in an arena formed by digging one or more saucer-shaped depressions or "bowls" in the ground which they stand in to help to amplify their mating call. They then compete against each other with displays (also known as "'lek") to attract a female - raise feathers, spread wings, raise claws and emit loud, low-frequency "booms" that can travel as far as five kilometres. After 20-30 booms, they'll make a high-pitched metallic "ching" sound; then start the booming and chinging again. This can last for eight hours each night during the 2-4 month breeding season. (See: Wikipedia: Kākāpō)

Breeding occurs in summer or autumn but only if trees have plenty of fruit (rimu has fruit every 2-4 years)

Kakapo breeding season off to a great start: RNZ Checkpoint

Radio New Zealand

Kākāpō are the only flightless bird where males gather & display or 'lek' to attract a female

Kākāpō

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

A male can breed with more than one female each breeding season

Kakapo, location unidentified

Alexander Turnbull Library

The nest is on the ground under plant cover or in a shallow depression in soil or rotten wood

Kakapo

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Female kākāpō lays 1–4 eggs, with several days between eggs

Kakapo, Strigops habroptilus

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

The female kākāpō incubates the eggs which usually hatch within 30 days

Watch: Baby Kākāpo hatches at Auckland Zoo

TV3

Chicks are first covered with greyish white down

Eleven new Kakapo chicks have hatched on Codfish Island

Television New Zealand

The female raises the chicks on her own

First kakapo chick hatches since 2011

Television New Zealand

When the female searches for food, the nest can be left unattended for periods of time

Kiore at kākāpō nest

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

The female feeds the chicks for three months

Female kākāpō with chick

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Chicks become fully feathered at approx 70 days old & leave the nest at approx 10 to 12 weeks of age

Kākāpō and nestlings

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Average life expectancy of 60 years, and can live for 90 years

Kākāpō - Night Parrot

NZ On Screen

Conservation

For an overview of protection initiatives, see Wikipedia: Kakapo. The kākāpō is now critically endangered. The total known population was 213 (17 September 2019) and 210 (June 2020) - see their list of names on Wikipedia. Most kākāpō are kept on two predator-free islands, Codfish / Whenua Hou (located to the west of Stewart Island) and Anchor (in the Dusky Sound in Fiordlamd). Little Barrier / Hauturu Island is being trialled as a third home for the species. The kākāpō carry radio transmitters to enable close monitoring. (See https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/kakapo-recovery/)