Keltoth
05-14-2005, 04:32 PM
(taken from the July 2005 edition of "Bird Talk", page 4)
Four kakapo chicks stumbled from their eggs in late March 2005 and more are expected. Kakapo, the heaviest parrot in the world, is a solitary, nocturnal creature that resides exclusively on two of New Zealand's island. It seems to have more in common with owls than other parrots. In fact, its scientific name, Strigops habroptilus, means owl-faced soft feathers, reports New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) website (www.doc.govt.nz).
The kakapo, according to the DOC, has become easy prey to newly introduced predators, such as cats, due to its limited defenses and unique nesting behavior - the female and male only meet to mate, then the female raises the chicks on her own, leaving the nest unguarded while searching for food. The kakapo is a flightless bird and its nest are build, accordingly, on the ground.
The entire kakapo population, before the March chicks, was 82. To follow the kakapos' progress, visit the Kakapo Recovery Program at www.kakaporecovery.org.
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The link for the Kakapo Recovery Program is www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/index1.html - the link given at the end of the article above was incomplete.
Four kakapo chicks stumbled from their eggs in late March 2005 and more are expected. Kakapo, the heaviest parrot in the world, is a solitary, nocturnal creature that resides exclusively on two of New Zealand's island. It seems to have more in common with owls than other parrots. In fact, its scientific name, Strigops habroptilus, means owl-faced soft feathers, reports New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) website (www.doc.govt.nz).
The kakapo, according to the DOC, has become easy prey to newly introduced predators, such as cats, due to its limited defenses and unique nesting behavior - the female and male only meet to mate, then the female raises the chicks on her own, leaving the nest unguarded while searching for food. The kakapo is a flightless bird and its nest are build, accordingly, on the ground.
The entire kakapo population, before the March chicks, was 82. To follow the kakapos' progress, visit the Kakapo Recovery Program at www.kakaporecovery.org.
======
The link for the Kakapo Recovery Program is www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/index1.html - the link given at the end of the article above was incomplete.