Kakapo: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Five facts

1. No other parrot in the world is flightless, and none is heavier than the kakapo.
2. It cannot fly, but it is a superb climber that can make it to the top of the tallest trees.
3. A frightened kakapo stays perfectly still. Its green feathers then make it hard to spot among the plants.
4. Males dig bowls in the ground that amplify their deep booming calls. In breeding years, they boom 6 to 8 hours a night.
5. The kakapo has a musty-sweet smell. It often tells predators where the bird is.

The quiz

1. What is special about the kakapo among parrots?

• It is the only flightless one (correct)
• It is the only blue one
• It is the only one that swims
• It is the only one that sings

No other parrot on Earth is unable to fly.

2. What can the kakapo do well despite not flying?

• Glide
• Climb tall trees (correct)
• Dive underwater
• Run on ice

It is an excellent climber.

3. What does a kakapo do when threatened?

• Screams loudly
• Freezes (correct)
• Runs in circles
• Hides underground

It freezes and blends into the vegetation.

4. What do male kakapo dig to boom from?

• Tunnels
• Bowls in the ground (correct)
• Nests in trees
• Small ponds

The bowls act as amplifiers for their calls.

5. How does a kakapo smell?

• Salty and fishy
• Musty-sweet (correct)
• Like smoke
• Like rotten eggs

Its musty-sweet odour can alert predators.

More about the Kakapo

All lessons

Nature documentaries