Takahe are the peacock-coloured and delightful flightless chungus of the New Zealand bird world. Once thought to be extinct they were amazingly rediscovered in a remote Fiordland location in 1948, and a dedicated recovery programme has moved them from the highest threat level to now nationally vulnerable. Grass and tussock lands are their preferred habitat and they need a lot of space and produce alot of poo. Despite the colour similarity, they are not over-sized pukeko, being only very distantly related . They make gentle honking noises as they go about their business eating grass and but also do rowdy squawks. Their large red beaks are like giant secateurs and give a powerful bite. They are monogamous and produce one or two black fluffy chicks a year once breeding. The easiest place to see them in New Zealand is on Tiritiri Matangi Island which is where these photos were recently taken. I’m so glad the effort was made to save them.
