III. Back from the Brink
Kākāpō
IN 1.40.05-J
Kākāpō
Strigops habroptilus
Young portrait
III. Back from the Brink
Field notes
A parrot built for life on foot, the kākāpō walks rather than flies and becomes active at night. Males gather at display grounds to attract females, an unusual breeding system found in no other parrot. Its owl-like face gives this forest bird a distinctive presence.
- Range
- Aotearoa New Zealand; managed populations on protected islands and in a fenced mainland sanctuary.
- Habitat
- Forest within carefully managed refuges protected from introduced predators.
Conservation
Intensive management has increased the population, but introduced predators, disease and low hatching success remain serious challenges. Recovery depends on protected habitat and careful breeding support; the need for more safe places to live continues.
Sources & conservation context
Threatened – Nationally Critical — New Zealand Threat Classification System status reported by the Department of Conservation, checked 6 October 2026; not an IUCN global category.
Source review: 6 October 2026. Assessment dates, where given, belong to the cited source.