Kākāpō action this week is about the chicks - all 94 of them.
I've just spent a week on Whenua Hou, recording with kākāpō rangers as they work day and night to ensure the chicks survive and thrive.
#kakapo #birds #conservation @digs.bsky.social
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Have you been watching the #kakapo webcam? After a few power issues it’s back online. I’ll be at the nest in about an hour from now, so tune in then if you’re free! www.youtube.com/live/K_j3aaE...
An adult female kākāpō feeding a chick in a nest. Credit: Andrew Digby
#kakapo Esperance with chick Elsie-A2-2026 on Whenua Hou. At a month old the chicks start to get coloured feathers and males will weigh around 1kg - not far off the mother's weight. But she's still less than halfway through raising them in the nest! #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds #wildlife
Flight of the Conchords - Bus Driver's Song
Totals of the 2026 kākāpō breeding season on the fridge door on Whenua Hou. Credit: Andrew Digby
#kakapo breeding fridge update. With all eggs hatched, the only changes from now will be chicks dying 😕 (And maybe Rimu’s nest). #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
The youngest #kakapo alive: Awarua-A3, 17 days old today. Despite appearances, she’s doing well. She won’t be leaving the nest until mid-June. It’s a long breeding season! #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds.
A kākāpō chick at a nest. Credit: Andrew Digby
There are currently 94 #kakapo chicks alive, with 59 on Anchor, 22 on Whenua Hou, at least 10 on Te Kākahu and 3 in hospital. We lost a chick to a freak flooding of a nest earlier this week on Anchor. #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
A kākāpō chick in a bag during a health check. Credit: Sarah Manktelow.
Last week we transferred 4 #kakapo chicks from Whenua Hou to Anchor Island; having moved 5 in March. With a better food supply on Anchor the mothers there can support two chicks per nest better than on Whenua Hou, where the rimu fruit has failed to ripen. 📸 Sarah Manktelow #kakapo2026 #conservation
A female kakapo on a nest facing the camera, with a young chick in front of her. Credit: Andrew Digby
This year's #kakapo breeding season has been the biggest on record:
- 256 eggs (252 in 2019)
- 148 fertile eggs (116 in 2019)
- 105 eggs hatched (86 in 2019).
It'll be 2+ months until we know how many chicks will fledge (73 in 2019). There are currently 95 alive. #conservation #kakapo2026 #birds
Stay safe, people of Aotearoa!
☁️☁️ 🥰💚
For those not following the #kakapo nest cam: a new chick (Heather-A3) has been added to Rakiura’s nest tonight. We’re testing whether she can cope with two (bigger) mouths to feed again. #kakapo2026 #conservation
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On Thursday, I had my final diagnostic session. Now I have to wait another 2 or 3 weeks for the results.
I’m torn between hope and doubt, tbh. The strange thing is that I’d actually find a negative result worse than a positive one, something that many neurodivergent people can probably relate to.
You won't find many kākāpō Easter eggs in the latest episode of the, Kākāpō Files ... because they've all hatched!
And by every measure, this is now officially the biggest breeding season on record.
#kakapo #conservation #birds
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Wow! A 1000-mile wall of Saharan dust is currently sweeping across northwest Africa 💨 See here: zoom.earth/maps/satelli...
Watching them you can’t help but smile back. So cute. 🩵🧡
The youngest #kakapo chick on Pukenui/Anchor Island: Hanariki-A2, at 3 days old. It's a tiny 42g, but doing OK. Managed to keep it mostly dry on a very wet night. #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
A quick update: I didn’t find the first 3 probatory sessions particularly helpful. After 2 diagnostic sessions, it is at least clear that ADHD can be ruled out, but there is strong evidence to suggest an ASD. I'm still awaiting the results of the questionnaires.
The story behind ‘Two Dudes’ is worth clicking ‘add to cart’. 🫶
Two Dudes™ - it's a men's health revolution with you at the heart of it. twodudesproject.com/pages/the-mi...
Happy Hatchday to JEM (*2008), my 6th adopted kākāpō! 🥳🥰💚
I dedicated her to @jemaineclement.bsky.social - as a thank you for his work of which I've been a big fan since 6 years ...and because I just had to bring together 2 New Zealanders who share almost the same name. 😉
It's JEM's hatchday, she turns 18 today. 🥳
Her only remaining chick is still alive. 💚
A small black fluffy cat with big round eyes looks directly at the viewer, with a tiny heart above its head. Below, the text reads “Sending love to everyone quietly going through some tough times.”
www.patreon.com/purrinink 🤍🐾
This is great news! 💚
Ripe rimu fruit on a tree. Credit: Andrew Digby
Lots of ripe rimu fruit appearing on the trees on Pukenui/Anchor. This is the food driving the current biggest #kakapo breeding season on record: ripe fruit is the main diet of kākāpō chicks, and a record rimu crop is the reason why the chicks are growing well. #conservation #kakapo2026 #birds
A kākāpō chick being weighed in a small bag. Credit: Andrew Digby
#kakapo chick Hananui-A3 being weighed during a health check at Verity's nest on Pukenui/Anchor Island. We weigh chicks to assess health condition, and compare against the mean expected for its age. At 9 days old and 120g, this chick is tracking well. #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
You're right, absolutely amazing! And that gives so much hope.
I wonder how many kākāpō it will take to change the IUCN Red List conservation status from Critically Endangered to Endangered.
