Good News for the Kākāpō, New Zealand’s Flightless Parrot?
Thursday, 1 January 2026
Once thought to be functionally extinct, the kākāpō — New Zealand’s iconic, flightless parrot — may be heading for its largest breeding season on record. Image Credit
Conservationists expect all 84 breeding females in the population to lay eggs this season, a remarkable milestone for a species that numbered just 51 individuals in 1995. Today, the population stands at around 273 birds, the result of decades of intensive conservation work.
The surge in breeding activity is linked to an unusually large crop of rimu fruit, a critical food source that triggers kākāpō reproduction. When food is abundant, the birds are far more likely to mate and lay eggs. What’s particularly intriguing is that the fruit will not be fully ripe until after chicks hatch - yet the birds appear to “predict” the coming abundance and begin breeding in advance.
That said, success is far from guaranteed. Eggs must still hatch, chicks must survive, and juveniles must reach independence - a process that will not be fully assessed until late 2026. The species’ slow breeding cycle and long lifespan mean recovery is measured in decades, not years.
There are also lingering concerns about genetic diversity. The severe population bottleneck has led to fertility issues and increased vulnerability to disease, challenges conservationists continue to manage as best they can.
Still, the outlook is hopeful. If even a portion of this breeding season succeeds, it could mark another significant step away from extinction for one of the world’s rarest parrots - and a powerful reminder of what long-term conservation efforts can achieve.
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