Kakapo

The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is a flightless, nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand, and the heaviest parrot species on Earth, with adults weighing up to 4 kilograms. Its wings are too small for flight but are used for balance and to break falls from trees, which it climbs with surprising agility. Historically, kakapo occupied forests across both the North and South Islands, but predation by introduced mammals, particularly stoats, rats, and cats, drove the species to near-extinction and confined surviving individuals to a handful of intensively managed offshore islands, including Codfish Island (Whenua Hou) and Anchor Island.

Kakapo are the only parrots known to use a lek mating system, in which males gather at bowl-shaped arenas carved into the ground and produce deep, booming calls to attract females across distances of up to several kilometers. They are also the only parrot species confirmed to be entirely herbivorous, feeding on leaves, bark, roots, and fruit. Their breeding is closely tied to mast seeding events, particularly the fruiting of rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum), meaning reproduction may occur only once every two to six years. As of 2024, the total known population stands at around 247 individuals, according to the Kakapo Recovery Programme, making every bird's survival a named and tracked conservation priority.