NEW ZEALAND's BIRDS
Kakapo
(Strigops habroptilus)
(Photo: Kiwi Wildlife Tours)
This large, flightless and nocturnal parrot is having a record breeding year (in 2002). Confined to Codfish Island, where it is intensively managed, there were only 63 birds known until 2002. 25 chicks have been successfully hatched and reared so far this breeding season, bringing the total world population to 89 birds! Codfish Island is not open to the public, and the only opportunity to see these birds would be to join the volunteer nest-minding programme and spend 2 weeks during the breeding season helping the kakapo mother care for her chicks in the wild. (See the kakapo web site 
