The kakapo is part of the parrot family although it isn’t much like other parrots and is called an “owl parrot”. It can be found on Stewart Island and a few other islands in New Zealand. It is the heaviest species in the parrot group and it is approximately 24 inches (64 cm) tall.

For about 1,000 years the Kakapo has been losing territory due to habitat loss and threats from predators such as rats and ermines. It no longer lives on the other islands as it once did in New Zealand and there may be less than a hundred left in the wild but top priority has been given to preserve their existence.

Being such heavy parrots with stubby rounded wings, these birds do not fly, but they use their wings for balancing as they jump or climb.

During the daylight hours they usually rest in a crop of bushes or rocks or else in a burrow. Then, at sunset, they awaken and go out to feed. Their diet consists of berries, nuts, shoots, leaves, fruit, seeds, fungi and moss.

Their mating ritual is quite unique for parrots. The males gather in common areas, called leks, dig out a little spot, prance around and make loud calls to attract the females. The female lays up to 3 eggs and she cares for the young on her own.