By Sheetal Kumari | October 25, 2025
Meet kakapo, the world’s heaviest and flightless parrot, which inhabits New Zealand and is called the “night parrot.
Image: Canva
Kakapos reach a length of 25 inches, weighing almost 9 pounds, and are the largest parrot species in the world.
Image: Canva
Even though kakapos have wings, they are not capable of flying because they have weak muscles, tiny wings, and a breastbone with no keel for flying.
Image: Canva
Kakapos tread more than 3 miles at night and ascend trees with strong legs, having wings to balance and parachute-like glides.
Image: @tal_ttocs/X
With moss-green feathers, owl faces, and big brown eyes, kakapos camouflage themselves in forests with amazing camouflage.
Image: @fhjxregui/X
At night, kakapos are nocturnal; they rest in burrows during the day and hunt for fruits, seeds, roots, and leaves at night.
Image: @CGdrawing
Kakapos only breed every 2-4 years, depending on available fruit, and are the globe’s sole lek-breeding parrot species.
Image: @CGdrawing
Males excavate bowls and produce booming calls that echo 3 miles, inflating air sacs to entice
Image: Canva
Formerly ubiquitous, kakapos almost became extinct as a result of hunting, predators, and habitat destruction. In the 1990s, only 51 birds
Image: Canva
Due to New Zealand’s Kakapo Recovery Programme, there are now 241 kakapos residing on predator-free islands, providing this endangered parrot with a second chance.
Image: Canva