Say hello to the kakapo, or the owl parrot, surely one of the strangest birds on the planet: It has the body of a huge green parrot and the face of an owl. Unable to fly, it has a comical waddling walk and is equipped with a big, loud voice.
It’s believed that the kakapo is one of the heaviest parrots in the world; the average weight of males is around 4.5 to 6.6 pounds (2 to 3 kilograms), while females weigh around 2.2 to 3.3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kilograms).
Estimates vary, but the kakapo (strigops habroptilus) is a threatened species with less than 250 of these unique parrots left in the world. Their story is one of “drama, despair, and hope.” Even though conservation efforts began as far back as 1894, by the mid-1900s, the exotic parrot owl “teetered on the edge of extinction,” says the Department of Conservation (DOC) in New Zealand, where the species lives.
This ground-dwelling bird existed in copious quantities before humans arrived on the scene but due to deforestation, hunting, and the introduction of exotic predators, their numbers soon fell steeply. This much-loved bird’s plight isn’t all down to human error, however, because “these birds only mate around three times per decade,” according to Explore the Green Forest, a wildlife channel on the Gan Jing World video platform.
The prospect of the enormously characterful kakapo disappearing forever is tragic, but thankfully dedicated work is underway to ensure that doesn’t happen. The Kakapo Recovery Program has enjoyed great success in its efforts to preserve and grow the population.
To help protect them from predators, kakapos have been introduced to the safe New Zealand islands of Anchor, Codfish, Chalky Island, and Little Barrier, where these national treasures can live free from external dangers.
Some of the stars of the kakapo species the DOC has helped protect and nurture include male kakapo Richard Henry, thought to be around 80 years old when he died in 2010, and “one of the largest females” Solstice, who weighs a whopping 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms). Then there’s Morehu (which means survivor), who was taken care of by staff as a tiny chick. Now a full-grown adult, Morehu still visits them “when the mood strikes him.”
The first kakapo partially reared in captivity, Hoki was wonderfully entertaining as a youngster when she took extra pleasure in playing with the buttons and zippers on her keepers’ clothing. Now in the wild, she’s described as being rather “bad-tempered,” causing a fuss when she isn’t getting her own way, but behaving more nicely towards new volunteers.
The big daddy of all is Sirocco. Hatched in 1997, the male chick was struck down by illness while being reared by his mom. Hand-reared as a result, Sirocco was released back into the wild but it didn’t last. Having been so close to his keepers, the young bird had imprinted on humans, remaining nearby ever since his return.
Something of a New Zealand celebrity, this particular kakapo “thinks he’s human”, and the DOC credit him with teaching them a huge amount about his species. One day, Sirocco even showed them that kakapo can swim, say the organization: “He was visiting Maud Island and saw the ranger’s family running and jumping off the jetty. He joined in, then paddled back to shore and shook himself off, seemingly unfazed.”
Sirocco, Solstice, Morehu, Hoki, and their other companions hopefully have many more happy days surrounded by nature ahead.
The kakapo has perhaps the longest life span of any bird in the world, with some living to the grand old age of 90. They’re also the heaviest, which explains why they go about their business slowly, though they can walk several miles at a time, speeding up when they want to.
They spend their days sleeping on the ground or roosting in trees while at night, they go looking for food, feasting on fruit and vines. When night falls, the call of the kakapo rings out around their island territories. During breeding season, males emit deep “booms,” punctuated by high-pitched “chings,” used to attract females. Incredibly, when he gets into his swing, he can keep up this loud croon for eight hours without rest.
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