Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) lives in alpine grasslands across South Island. It feeds on grass and leaves. Its conservation status is Endangered.
Fascinating facts about the Takahē
- Living South Island takahē were rediscovered on 20 November 1948 when Geoffrey Orbell led an expedition into the Murchison Mountains after footprints of an unknown bird were found near Lake Te Anau. The team captured two individuals, photographed them, and then released the birds back into their alpine valley home. This dramatic find ended a fifty-year belief that the species had vanished and prompted urgent conservation measures.
- As of 2023 the takahē population numbers about 500 birds and is rising by roughly eight percent each year, indicating a gradual recovery after decades of decline. Their conservation status was improved in 2016 when they were moved from Nationally Critical to Nationally Vulnerable.
- The South Island takahē is the largest living rail, with an average length of 63 cm and a standing height of about 50 cm, giving it a notably stocky silhouette. Adults weigh between 1.8 kg and 4.2 kg, with males averaging 2.7 kg and females 2.3 kg, making it considerably heavier than its swamphen relatives. Its massive bill and powerful legs are adaptations for foraging on alpine grasses, while its size deters many potential predators.
- The South Island takahē, though unable to fly, possesses a massive bill that can inflict a painful bite on anything that provokes it. Its powerful, short legs and stocky build allow it to confront threats on the alpine grasslands where it lives. The bird sometimes employs its reduced wings simply to help it scramble up steep slopes, but its primary defence is that strong bite.
- In a rare observation at Zealandia, a South Island takahē was seen seizing a paradise duckling, showing it can act as an opportunistic predator. Such behaviour had not been recorded for the species before, expanding what is known about its diet beyond grass and insects. Its close relative, the Australasian swamphen or pūkeko, is known to occasionally feed on eggs and nestlings of other birds, providing a possible parallel.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSouth Island
HabitatAlpine grasslands
DietGrass and leaves
About the Takahē
In the mist-shrouded valleys of New Zealand's southern wilderness, the takahē moves with deliberate stealth, its sturdy legs carrying it silently across the forest floor as it forages for tender shoots and leaves. With its iridescent feathers glistening like polished onyx, this enigmatic bird navigates its domain with a quiet confidence, its oversized feet and powerful beak a testament to its remarkable adaptability. As it disappears into the underbrush, the takahē leaves behind only the faintest whisper of its presence, a haunting reminder of the elusive beauty that still lurks in the uncharted corners of our planet.
Hear the Takahē, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
