Takahe

Fascinating facts about the Takahe

• Living South Island takahē were rediscovered in an expedition led by Invercargill-based physician Geoffrey Orbell near Lake Te Anau in the Murchison Mountains, on 20 November 1948. After decades of presumed extinction, the species now numbers around 500 individuals and is growing by 8 percent per year. Their NZTCS status was downgraded in 2016 from Nationally Critical to Nationally Vulnerable, showing that careful protection can pull a bird back from the brink and give hope for other lost New Zealand fauna.
• The takahē's diet is almost entirely alpine grass, especially the leaves of Chionochloa tussocks. It will pluck a stalk of snow grass (Danthonia flavescens), grip it with one claw, and eat only the soft lower part, discarding the rest, a behaviour that looks like a picky diner at a buffet. This specialization ties its fate to the health of fragile alpine grasslands that are being eroded by deer browsing.
• Takahē form lifelong monogamous bonds, with pairs staying together for at least 12 years or possibly their whole lives. They build bulky nests under bushes, lay one to three buff eggs, and see chick survival swing wildly from 25 % to 80 % depending on site conditions. Such low and variable recruitment means each successful hatch is vital for population stability, underscoring why intensive nest management and egg-removal programmes have been introduced.
• Genomic analysis of four New Zealand rails found that heterozygosity was lowest in the endemic flightless takahē, a pattern that probably reflects its relatively small population size. Recognising this, conservationists now prioritize genetic screening when selecting birds for captive breeding and island translocations to preserve as much variation as possible.

At a glance

About the Takahe

In the mist-shrouded valleys of New Zealand's southern isles, the takahe moves with deliberate, unhurried pace, its sturdy legs propelling it through the dense undergrowth with a soft rustle of leaves and snapping of twigs. This enigmatic bird, once thought to be extinct, now teeters on the brink of survival, its remarkable story a testament to the enduring power of conservation efforts. As it forages for tender shoots and seeds, the takahe's iridescent feathers glimmer in the dappled light, a fleeting glimpse of beauty in a world where its very existence hangs precariously in the balance.

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