Kākāpō
Strigops habroptilus
- Length
- 58–64 cm
- Family
- New Zealand Parrots (Strigopidae)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
Overview
The kākāpō (Māori: [ˈkaːkaːpɔː]; pl.: kākāpō; Strigops habroptilus), sometimes known as the owl-parrot, is a species of large, nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrot of the superfamily Strigopoidea. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Kākāpō can be up to 64 cm (25 in) long. They have a combination of unique traits among parrots: finely blotched yellow–green plumage, a distinct facial disc, owl-like forward-facing eyes with surrounding discs of specially textured feathers, a large grey beak, short legs, large blue feet, relatively short wings and a short tail. It is the world's only flightless parrot, the world's heaviest parrot, and also is nocturnal, herbivorous, visibly sexually dimorphic in body size, has a low basal metabolic rate, and does not have male parental care.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Leaves, seeds, fruit and pollen; breeds when rimu trees fruit heavily.
How to identify it
- Flightless, nocturnal parrot, the heaviest in the world
- Moss-green upperparts finely barred with black
- Owl-like facial disc
Voice
Males 'boom' at night during breeding seasons.
Where to see it
- Predator-free islands only; no public access
Range and habitat
Now mostly Codfish Island (=Whenua Hou, west of Stewart Island); formerly North, South, and Stewart islands (New Zealand); extremely rare and intensively managed.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Kākāpō
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.