Endangered: The Unique Kakapo Parrot Quiz

Answer: New Zealand

The Kakapo can only be found in the island nation of New Zealand. It is one of the oldest species of birds found on the planet and has remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, according to the fossil records found on the islands. It has a loud echoing mating call that can be heard miles or kilometers away. At night the call of the Kakapo is distinct and haunting.

Answer: Night parrot

The Kakapo is the world's only nocturnal parrot. Mating, hunting, feeding and all social interaction takes place during the night. This nocturnal behavior is just one reason why the habits of this bird were virtually unknown to anyone other than the Maori people of the island.

The Kakapo was very important to them and their leaders would wear great capes make from the feathers of this unique bird. Their name for the Kakapo simply means 'night parrot', a reflection of their nocturnal behaviors.

Answer: It is the only flightless parrot

The Kakapo is the world's only flightless parrot. Around 70 million years ago the ancestor of the Kakapo became separated from other parrots and evolved in the isolated world of the islands of New Zealand. With plentiful food and no natural predators there was no reason to leave this piece of Kakapo heaven.

They lost the ability to fly, as they had no reason to fly, nor anywhere they wanted to go. They lived in Kakapo paradise for many hundreds of thousands of years. And then, sadly, man arrived.

Answer: Rats

With the arrival of man, especially the Europeans, the Kakapo populations began to rapidly diminish. The introduction of rats into island ecosystems has been disastrous all over the world. Rats ate the eggs, ripped up the nests, and even ate some of the juvenile birds.

The rats also brought disease to which the Kakapo had no immunity. Then the introduction of the cat brought in a predator large enough to eat the adult birds that were breeding. Disaster in the form of mammals had arrived. Until this point the only mammals on the islands were bats.

Answer: On the ground

The lack of predators on the islands led the Kakapo to build its nests on the ground. There was no need to build it in the trees, and there were no telephone poles (duh). This habit also made the Kakapo very vulnerable to predators that were introduced. It also made it easy to hunt for the Maori and later for Europeans who ate it for food.

Answer: Green

The Kakapo is a lovely moss green with sprinkles of black and brown spots throughout. Unlike many birds who use color to draw attention to themselves for mating purposes, the Kakapo uses its color for camouflage. The Kakapo can be very hard to see, until it moves. For millions of years this defense worked well, and the species thrived on its island home. Older stuffed specimens hint that the bird many have at one time had shades of yellow.

Answer: Sits perfectly still

As there were no predators, there was no need to develop defense techniques. The Kakapo does not run from humans, rats or cats, as it was never hunted. They are non-venomous and are not known to bite. The Kakapo simply freezes and does not move. In the past, this made them sitting targets for the newly introduced species, including man, who combined to hunt them to near extinction.

Answer: Large, and round with short wings

The Kakapo is the world's heaviest parrot. This, is in addition to being the world's only flightless parrot and the world's only nocturnal parrot, makes it a very special bird. It is large and round in shape, with short wings. It has short legs and large feet.

A large male can weigh up to 9 lbs. (4kg). The feathers of the Kakapo are exceptionally soft and downy. Around the face of the Kakapo is a facial disc of feathers which gives it the look of an owl. At one time, European settlers called the Kakapo the 'owl parrot'.

Answer: False

This is false. The Kakapo is an herbivorous bird that feasts on the fruits, seeds, and flowering plants that grow all over these verdant islands. All food that is eaten grows close to the ground, as the Kakapo does not climb nor swim.

Answer: False

The Kakapo is one of the few birds in the world known to have a 'lek' system of mating. This means that one male will have a small harem of females. The smaller females make their choice based on the performance put on by the males as they prance around.

While the male will remain in the area throughout courting season, he will leave as soon as the eggs are laid and has no part in the upbringing of his offspring. The Kakapo do not mate for life and form no bond with each other. Each year a male may mate with completely different females who all lay their eggs near each other.

But with so few Kakapo left, genetic diversity may be their biggest problem to overcome. There are so few Kakapo left that each one has its own name. In a count done in February of 2012, there were only 126 Kakapo still alive in the wild and there are none residing in any of the world's zoos.