Flightless, nocturnal and incredibly quirky, the kākāpo is one of nature’s great oddities – and is famous the world over, thanks in part to its appearance on natural history documentaries.
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kākāpos featured in David Attenborough’s The Life of Birds, as well as the two series of Last Chance to See – including a notorious clip in the updated season where a male kākāpo called Sirocco attempted to mate with Mark Carwardine’s head.
Yet its eccentric charm has not spared it from a variety of threats, including habitat loss, predation by non-native predators and historic hunting. Once found across Aotearoa New Zealand, the species was feared to be extinct.
But now there are signs that the species is recovering, thanks to the hard work of conservationists who have brought it back from the edge.
What is a kākāpo?
The kākāpo is a very unusual and unique parrot species. Unlike all other parrot species, it is flightless. It is also the heaviest parrot in the world, and the only one to exhibit lek breeding – and the only bird in New Zealand to do so.
How big are kākāpo?
The kākāpo measures between 58-64cm in length. Males weigh between 2-4kg, whilst females weigh between 1-2.5kg.
What do kākāpos look like?
The kākāp has a distinctive appearance with moss-green plumage that helps them blend into the countryside and look like a bit like an owl. We named it one of the weirdest birds in the world
Where do kākāpo live?
Kākāpo are endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. Once widespread across all three main islands, human settlement of the country - particularly European colonisation - reduced their numbers.
Now they are limited to just three predator-free islands, though there are hopes to reintroduce them to another.
Why can’t kākāpo fly?
Without the presence of mammals, the kākāpo lost is ability to fly and gained weight. Although the species still retains wings, they are used instead for balancing, though some lighter females can glide short distances.
Instead of flying, the kākāpo is an excellent hiker and climber, able to hike several kilometres and climb trees.
What do kākāpo eat?
Kākāpo are herbivorous birds, feeding on a variety of vegetation including fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, bulbs and bark.
How often do kākāpo breed?
Kākāpo only start breeding after reaching five years, and often don’t start until they are older, sometimes in their teens. They don’t breed every year, but instead every two to four years, coinciding with mast years of the rimu trees.
Males display to females at leks, emitting a deep boom to advertise their presence and then displaying to her.
Females raise their chicks alone, laying between one and five eggs, but usually managing to fledge just one chick in a season.
Are kākāpo endangered?
There are less than 250 kākāpo in the world, and the species is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Whilst this is a very low number, this is actually a huge step forward for the species, following dedicated conservation work. In fact, prior to the late 1970s, it was thought that the species on the very edge of extinction. Kākāpo sightings were few and far between, and for a number of years, scientists were only finding males.
Fortunately, a population was found on Stewart Island in 1977, but it was under intense threat from feral cats, and the decision was made to transfer the birds to predator-free islands.
Intense conservation work, including eliminating non-native predators, improving and extending suitable habitat, supplementary feeding, monitoring chicks, and in some cases hand-rearing chicks, has increased numbers to just under 250, and there are hopes to reintroduce them to additional islands.
How long do kākāpo live?
It is estimated that kākāpo can live between 60-90 years, and could be one of the longest-lived bird species in the world. The oldest known bird in the world is at least 74 years old (and as of the 2024-2025 breeding season, she is still laying eggs).