Protecting the Party Parrot: Kākāpō Ecology and Conservation

Contributor Olivia Jackson gives us a conservation run-down

on the world’s largest and heaviest parrot   

2026 will be a year to look forward to. Its arrival will bring the next long-awaited breeding season of the critically endangered kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus). There are currently 236 individuals left [1]. Their low numbers are due to terrestrial predation and poor reproductive success [2][3].

These rotund, nocturnal, green parrots are endemic to New Zealand and currently reside on selected predator-proof islands (though a few individuals have recently been introduced to predator-safe Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain) on the mainland) [2]. They have long lifespans, potentially living 60 - 90 years [1].

What on earth are kākāpō, anyway?

Their name is Māori for kākā (parrot) and pō (night) due to their nocturnal nature. These sweet birds have owl-like facial disks, useful for collecting auditory information in the night (they are therefore nicknamed ‘owl parrots’) [3]. Kākāpō are in the same family as the kea and kākā, but don’t appear to have the same cognitive and social intelligence. 

On an evolutionary level, kākāpō are extremely unique. They hold the title as the world’s largest and heaviest parrot [2][4]. They are most well-known for attempting intercourse with a man’s head in a video with Stephen Fry [5]. This showcases quite well how…uh… limited their intelligence is, compared to their smarter relatives. 

They are also flightless due to an evolved reduction of shoulder and wing muscles, and the keel on the sternum [6]. They have strong claws for climbing trees and strong legs for walking several kilometres at a time if needed [1]. When disturbed, kākāpō freeze, relying on their mottled green feathers as camouflage.

Historically, kākāpō have not needed to fly as they had no terrestrial predators. Then Māori people hunted them for meat and feathers. Later, European invasion severely impacted population size and genetic capacity due to introduced mammalian predators such as stoats, cats, foxes and rats. Freeze defence and camouflage were effective when faced with aerial sight-reliant predators such as eagles, but their musty-clarinet-case odour is distinctively delicious for introduced ground-dwelling predators [1]. 

Reproduction

Low reproductive success is a huge threat to kākāpō, due to a number of factors including high hatch failure caused by early embryo mortality (61% of eggs do not hatch), decreased egg fertility and irregular breeding periods that are synchronised with the masting of rimu fruit every two to five years [7].

Kākāpō are the only lek-breeding parrots in the world, meaning that males put on displays at certain locations to attract females. During breeding season, males also form a track-and-bowl system, which involves a central bowl-like ditch in the soil with tracks radiating from it. In this bowl, the male kākāpō will swell up their body and emit low-frequency ‘booms’ to attract females. These can last all night, every night, for a couple of months.

Males practise booming even out of breeding season. What dedication! [1].

Female kākāpō create nests in tree hollows or small caves [1]. They produce one to four eggs, which hatch after roughly 30 days and fledge after about ten weeks. 

Past conservation and current

Historically, conservation largely involved relocation to islands presumed predator-free [2]. This was not successful in the slightest. Richard Henry, a well-intentioned naturalist, relocated a large population of kākāpō to Resolution Island, but stoats had infiltrated the island by 1900, wiping out the newly established population [8]. Other attempts were made, but eventually, almost all surviving kākāpō were translocated to one of three islands genuinely free of predators (Coal, Codfish, and Anchor Islands) [9].

The Kākāpō Recovery Programme was established in 1995, funded by the Department of Conservation. This dedicated programme and its associated funding have allowed so much action to occur! The separation of kākāpō individuals between the islands allows for the maintenance of genetic diversity and reduces the spread of disease [10]. The Programme additionally involves supplementary feeding, which increases the potential for successful reproduction [11]. All birds are consistently monitored with radio transmitters to assess their location and general health. 

In recent years, kākāpō have been reintroduced onto the New Zealand mainland with some success. Ten individuals were translocated to Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain), a protected reserve enclosed by a fence to prevent mammal predation. Currently, seven birds remain in the reserve, as a few managed to escape by climbing trees near the fence line [12].  These rotund birds are surprisingly good escape artists when they want to be! 

Recent advances in technology have also provided huge opportunities for genetic research. As the availability and improvement of population genomics and long-term datasets increase over time, more opportunities for kākāpō research and overall management can be developed. 

Kākāpō are funny birds. Whilst being incredibly fascinating and unique on an evolutionary level, they also have so much charm. All surviving individuals (minus really young chicks) are officially named [13]. Sirocco, in particular, known for the infamous head-mating video, nonetheless brought widespread attention to the silly, endangered species. He has been dubbed the official ‘spokesbird’ of conservation [14].  He is also the individual who inspired the popular party parrot gif [15]. Things like these raise awareness of the critically endangered species, and with that, funding. 

As the next breeding season approaches rapidly, kākāpō researchers, managers and volunteers brace for what is predicted to be the biggest season yet [16].  It will be a hectic yet precarious time for reproductive management and building off past knowledge. Research is needed now and in the future to further assess embryo mortality and parent fertility, predator behaviour, and to identify additional potential habitats for a greater distribution. 

by Olivia Jackson

References:

[1] Department of Conservation. (2025). Kākāpō. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/kākāpō/

[2] Lloyd, B. D., & Powlesland, R. G. (1994).  The decline of kākāpō Strigops habroptilus and attempts at conservation by translocation. Biol. Conserv. 69, 75–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3207(94)90330-1

[3] White, K. L., Eason, D. K., Jamieson, I. G., & Robertson, B. C. (2015). Evidence of inbreeding depression in the critically endangered parrot, the kākāpō. Anim. Conserv. 18, 341–347.

[4] Williams, G. R. (1956). The kākāpō (Strigops habrotilus, Gray): a review and reappraisal of a near-extinct species. Notornis, 7(2), 29–55. 

[5] Organ, S., & Tod, F. (Executive Producers). (2009). Last Chance to See [TV series]. BBC Wales; West Park Pictures.

[6]  Powlesland, R. G., Merton, D. V. & Cockrem, J. F. (2006). A parrot apart: the natural history ofthe kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), and the context of its conservation management. Notornis, 53(1), 3–26. doi:10.63172/605353vxtvye

[7]  Harper, G. A., Elliott, G. P., Eason, D. K., & Moorhouse, R. J. (2006). What triggers nesting of Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)? Notornis, 53(1), 160–163.

[8] Hill, S., & Hill, J. (1987). Richard Henry of Resolution Island. Dunedin: John McIndoe.

[9]  Department of Conservation. (2025). Kākāpō habitats and islands. https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/kakapo/habitat-and-islands/#:~:text=This%20small%20population%20of%20male,present%20at%20any%20given%20time.

[10]  Dussex, N., van der Valk, T., Morales, H. E., Wheat, C. W., Díez-Del-Molino, D., von Seth, J., Foster, Y., Kutschera, V. E., Guschanski, K., Rhie, A., Phillippy, A. M., Korlach, J., Howe, K., Chow, W., Pelan, S., Mendes Damas, J. D., Lewin, H. A., Hastie, A. R., Formenti, G., Fedrigo, O., … Dalén, L. (2021). Population genomics of the critically endangered kākāpō. Cell genomics, 1(1), 100002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xgen.2021.100002

[11]  Elliott, G. P., Merton, D. V., & Jansen, P. W. (2001). Intensive management of a critically endangered species: the kakapo. Biol. Conserv., 99(1), 121–133.

[12] Zollickhofer, D. (2023, November 28). Kakapo sent to live on an island after ‘parachute’ escape attempts. Waikato Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/waikato-news/news/kakapo-in-waikato-doc-reduces-number-of-birds-at-sanctuary-mountain-after-escape-attempts/GVHENI5OFZD47NNQFCXBBADXBY/ 

[13] HandWiki. (2021). Biology: List of Kakapo. https://handwiki.org/wiki/Biology:List_of_kakapo

[14] Starmer-Smith, C. (2010, February 1). Parrot that tried to mate with Mark Carwardine is given a government role. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7128042/Parrot-that-tried-to-mate-with-Mark-Carwardine-is-given-a-government-role.html

[15] Beckman, B. L. (2017, July 13). Cult of the party parrot: How a ridiculous bird became an emoji hero. Mashable. https://mashable.com/feature/cult-of-the-party-parrot-slack-reddit-meme

[16] 1News Reporters. (2026, January 6). Kākāpō breeding season takes flight after four-year lay-off. 1News. https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/01/06/kakapo-breeding-season-takes-flight-after-four-year-lay-off/