PODCAST · science
Kākāpō Files II
by RNZ
The Kākāpō Files podcast is back with what’s set to be the biggest breeding season of all time for the world’s favourite parrot. Monthly episodes from late May 2026.
Episodes
-
Kākāpō Numbers Soar
The biggest kākāpō season on record has come to an end, with a bumper number of chicks reaching the milestone of 150 days old. The 90 chicks have boosted the kākāpō population from 235 birds to 325, an increase of more than a third. The 2026 season saw 48 kākāpō mums produce living chicks…
more -
Kākāpō Goings On
The oldest chick of the 2026 kākāpō breeding season, Tiwhiri-A1 has reached 150 days old and can be officially counted. This milestone increases the kākāpō population by one bird to 236, the first time it has risen in 4 years. The first chicks to reach independence are roosting away from their…
more -
Good Kākāpō Things Take Time
Six months after this record-breaking kākāpō breeding season began, all 91 living chicks have fledged and left the nest. The chicks remain with their kākāpō mums and are still being fed by them, as well as eating a range of plant material, and as cold wet midwinter weather sets in the chicks are...
-
Kākāpō Adoption Birds
Half of the chicks from this record-breaking kākāpō breeding season have fledged and left their nests for good, but are still being fed by their mums. The tally of living chicks has dropped to 92 with the death of a chick from Te Kākahu/Chalky Island. Veterinary advisor Lydia Uddstrom reports…
more -
Kākāpō Chicks Growing Up
The tally of confirmed living kākāpō chicks goes down with two further deaths, but gets a welcome boost with the confirmation of a living chick in a previously inaccessible nest. This brings the number of living chicks to 93, ranging in weight from 770 grams to nearly 2.5 kilograms. On all three...
-
Kākāpō Island Diary
Alison Ballance spends a week on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, one of three kākāpō breeding islands. She follows rangers from DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme as they go about their daily and nightly nest visits to check on the rapidly growing chicks. All but one of the 23 nests on Whenua Hou have…
more -
Biggest Kākāpō Breeding Season
DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme says that the 2026 kākāpō breeding season is officially the biggest on record, and that all chicks have now hatched. At least 256 eggs were laid in 80 nests, of which at least 106 hatched. There are currently 99 chicks alive, three of which are being treated at the...
-
Kākāpō Birth Notices
DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme is thrilled to announce the births of 101 kākāpō chicks, with a few more fertile eggs expected to hatch over the next few days. However, kākāpō conservation is a roller-coaster and seven chicks have died from illness or injury. Auckland Zoo vet Adam Naylor...
-
Lots of Kākāpō Babies
The number of kākāpō chicks has climbed to 54, with plenty more fertile eggs still to hatch on Whenua Hou and Pukenui/Anchor Island. Remote monitoring technology shows that seven kākāpō mums on Te Kakahu/Chalky Island are likely raising chicks as well. DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme is using a...
-
Kākāpō Baby Boom
Fourteen kākāpō chicks have hatched in wild nests, where they are being cared for by mums and foster mums. More than a hundred viable fertile eggs have already been laid, with more expected in the next couple of weeks. On Whenua Hou, fertile eggs are cared for in incubators to keep them safe and...
-
The First Chick
The first chick of the 2026 kākāpō breeding season has successfully hatched on Pukenui/Anchor Island. DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme reports that Tiwhiri-A1-2026 hatched in foster mother Yasmine’s nest on 14 February 2026 and is the first kākāpō chick in four years. Huhū-A1-2026 is due to hatch…
more -
Nesting Time
Almost 90% of adult female kākāpō of breeding age have mated so far this breeding season, and two thirds of those are nesting. Some birds have already laid a full clutch of eggs and while some clutches are 100% fertile, others are - as expected - unfortunately infertile. To date there are 55...
-
Peak Breeding
More than three-quarters of female kākāpō of breeding age have mated so far, and the number of nests is growing rapidly. Kākāpō operations manager Deidre Vercoe tells Alison Ballance that 101 eggs have been laid to date, and while it is early days 38 eggs are known to be fertile. As always,...
-
Full Steam Ahead
The 2026 kākāpō breeding season is all systems go: nearly half of the females of breeding age have mated and so far 15 females are nesting. Technical Advisor Daryl Eason talks about record-breaking female Ongaonga who, at 4 years-old, is the youngest female kākāpō ever to breed. There are plenty…
more -
Kākāpō Action Heating Up
There have been 24 kākāpō matings so far, and the number is increasing as mating action heats up on all three breeding islands. Deidre Vercoe, from the Kākāpō Recovery Programme, tells Alison Ballance that some 7-year-old birds from the 2019 breeding season have mated for the first time. The…
more -
The First Nest
Early bird Pearl has laid the first eggs of the 2026 kākāpō breeding season but Kākāpō Recovery Programme science advisor Andrew Digby tells Alison Ballance that it’s too soon to know if they are fertile. Youngsters Huhū and Hondy are the third pair to mate on Whenua Hou, and Heather and Bluster...
-
Any Minute Now
It’s the New Year and we’re in the early days of a big kākāpō breeding season. Daryl Eason from the Kākāpō Team tells Alison Ballance that Esperance and Ian are the second kākāpō to mate, and he expects that any minute now there will be plenty more birds mating. The kākāpō population drops to 236...
-
Kākāpō Countdown
It’s nearly the New Year and we’re counting down to the start of a big kākāpō breeding season. Island ranger Maddy Whittaker tells Alison Ballance that Pearl and Boss are the first kākāpō to mate. Deidre Vercoe, operations manager for the Kākāpō Team, explains that kākāpō mums on Whenua Hou will...
-
Meet the Team
It’s the summer solstice and we are waiting for kākāpō breeding to begin. Alison Ballance chats with island ranger Maddy Whittaker, who reports that on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island all the male kākāpō are in full voice, booming all night to attract the females, who haven’t shown any interest yet.…
more -
The Birds Are Back
The Kākāpō Files returns for a second season, to follow everyone’s favourite parrot through what is predicted to be the biggest breeding season on record. Host Alison Ballance and Our Changing World’s Claire Concannon chat about what exactly is a kākāpō, discuss the conservation history of this...
-
Introducing: Kākāpō Files II
In 2019 Alison Ballance followed the bumpy, rollercoaster ride that was the kākāpō breeding season. Now she returns, six years on, to do it all over again. We'll meet familiar characters, of both the human and bird kind, as well as new faces. Will the chicks born in 2019 start to breed? How will...
-
Our Changing World: Kākāpō update with Dr Andrew Digby
Claire Concannon and Dr Andrew Digby talk about all things kākāpō: that habitat trial and where the birds are now, the next breeding season, and Andrew’s hopes for the future of this iconic manu. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
-
Our Changing World: A year of mainland kākāpō
In July 2023 four male kākāpō were released into the fenced Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari – part of a new habitat trial to investigate suitable locations for the growing kākāpō population. But after a further six were introduced, the kākāpō began to wander – beyond the fence. A year on, and...
-
Coming Soon: Voice of Tangaroa
Coming soon to RNZ Podcasts is the new series Voice of Tangaroa, exploring the state of our oceans, and the extraordinary variety of life that calls it home. Released weekly from Thursday 29 February, you can find the episodes in the Voice of Tangaroa or Our Changing World podcast feed wherever…
more -
2022 A Boomer Year for Kākāpō
Alison Ballance joins the kākāpō recovery team on Pukenui Anchor Island to hear how the 2021/2022 kākāpō breeding season is going. It's been very quiet on the kākāpō front for the last two years, but this year is another big one for the rare bird. In 2019, the endangered flightless night parrot…
more -
Kākāpō population hits new high of 213 birds
The youngest kākāpō chick has passed 150 days old, bringing the number of living juveniles to 71 and the overall kākāpō population to 213, in episode 24 of the Kākāpō Files. The kākāpō population has reached a new high of 213 birds, following the largest breeding season on record. This is a...
-
Kākāpō chicks growing up
The kākāpō chicks are graduating to being juveniles and only seven birds are still sick with aspergillosis, in episode 23 of the Kākāpō Files. Forty-two of this year's kākāpō chicks have graduated to being juveniles. They pass this milestone when they reach 150 days old. A further 30 chicks will...
-
Kākāpō dads revealed
Paternity testing has revealed who the top kākāpō dads are, as well as the success of the artificial insemination programme, in episode 22 of the Kākāpō Files. Artificial insemination (AI) of kākāpō has succeeded for the first time in a decade, and the Kākāpō Recovery Team at the Department of...
-
Kākāpō waiting game
The kākāpō health crisis is stable, with no further cases of aspergillosis diagnosed, and seven hand-reared chicks have been successfully released in the wild, in episode 21 of the Kākāpō Files. Seven hand-reared kākāpō chicks have been released into the wild on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, where...
-
Behind-the-scenes of the kākāpō health crisis
Kākāpō death toll from aspergillosis rises by one to seven, while nine birds have been given a clean bill of health. Sad and positive news from the frontline of the fight to save kākāpō, in episode 20 of the Kākāpō Files. The death toll from the aspergillosis health crisis in the kākāpō…
more -
Kākāpō health concerns continue
The number of cases of aspergillosis in the kākāpō population continues to rise, with 30 birds on the mainland for testing & treatment. The deaths of Huhana and Merty drop the adult population to 142, in episode 19 of the Kākāpō Files. The number of cases of aspergillosis in the kākāpō population...
-
Worrying times for kākāpō
A spate of kākāpō chicks deaths from a fungal pneumonia caused by aspergillosis has DOC's Kākāpō Recovery Team very worried. Two further adult deaths bring the population to 144 birds with 73 living chicks, all in episode 18 of the Kākāpō Files. The fungal disease aspergillosis has caused the...
-
Glad and sad kākāpō tidings
The death of Hoki from a fungal infection brings the number of adult kākāpō to 146, while there are 77 chicks. Episode 17 of the Kākāpō Files includes a visit to Anchor Island & all the latest news. There is good news as well as sad news from the kākāpō islands. Hoki, the first hand-reared…
more -
Longest kākāpō breeding season
With 75 living chicks and the final three eggs due to hatch this week, the 2019 kākāpō breeding season is set to be the longest on record. The number of living kākāpō chicks has risen to 75, with the final three due to hatch this week. The oldest chicks are already beginning to leave their nests…
more -
Kākāpō chicks still hatching
Most of the 72 kākāpō chicks are thriving in wild nests, the males are winding down their booming, and there are 7 fertile eggs still to hatch. Ripe rimu fruits carpet the trees and ground on Whenua Hou and Anchor islands, and most of the 72 living kākāpō chicks are in wild nests, where they are...
-
Kotahitanga and kākāpō
Kākāpō chick numbers continue to climb. The latest tally is 64 chicks, including one named Kotahitanga, meaning unity and solidarity. The number of living kākāpō chicks has risen to 64, with plenty more due to hatch in the next few days. Among the chicks is one that hatched early in the morning…
more -
Fat happy kākāpō chicks
Thirty four kākāpō chicks are putting on plenty of weight in wild nests as the rimu fruit ripens, and 23 chicks are also being hand-reared, in episode 13 of the Kākāpō Files. This year's kākāpō breeding season has broken all records, with 239 eggs laid and more on the way. One hundred and ten…
more -
Kākāpō helpers
Volunteers from around the world are helping the kākāpō team, with tasks ranging from feeding birds and people, looking after the power system on Whenua Hou and studying kākāpō sperm. We meet them in episode 12 of the Kākāpō Files. Volunteers are coming from around the world to help with the...
-
Kākāpō rangers
There is a hard-working team of island rangers helping save kākāpō, working day and night, and the chick tally has reached 44, in episode 11 of the Kākāpō Files. Well over 200 eggs have been laid and 46 chicks are alive in the largest kākāpō breeding season on record. It is also the earliest and...
-
Flying kākāpō sperm
In a world-first for kākāpō conservation, a drone (nicknamed the 'spermcopter') has flown kākāpō sperm across Whenua Hou / Codfish Island - the Kākāpō Files was there for episode 10. In a world-first for kākāpō conservation, the Department of Conservation's Kākāpō Recovery Team has used a drone…
more -
Kākāpō chick growth looking promising
There is good news from down south, where the endangered kākāpō is having its best breeding season ever. No one is game enough to predict exactly how many chicks might make it to adulthood, but the numbers look promising. Kākāpō Files producer Alison Ballance has just been down to Whenua...
-
On the island
More than 160 kākāpō eggs have been laid and the first 21 chicks have hatched, but there is also news of the first chick death, in episode 9 of the Kākāpō Files. The record-breaking kākāpō breeding season continues its bumper run. The number of eggs has reached 160, with more due to be laid as…
more -
Round two begins
The chicks that have hatched are off to Dunedin, the females have started mating again, and there is breeding action on Hauturu, all in episode 8 of the Kākāpō Files. The Kākāpō Recovery team continue to be very busy. Seven... oh no, make that eight already... kākāpō chicks have hatched (and...
-
The chicks are hatching
The first two chicks of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have hatched and the exciting news keeps coming in, in episode 7 of the Kākāpō Files. The first chicks of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have hatched. The first kākāpō chick hatched at 8.30pm on the 30th January 2019. Its mother is Waikawa,...
-
Full house
Forty eight out of fifty kākāpō females on the southern islands have mated, nesting is well underway and the first AI has been carried out, all in episode 6 of the Kākāpō Files. It's nearly a full sweep on the southern kākāpō islands, with 48 out of 50 females having mated - a record number. All…
more -
Super-studs & hitting the reset button
The most popular kākāpō males will get a chance to do it all over again as the females are encouraged to mate and nest for a second time, in episode 5 of the Kākāpō Files. How are the male kākāpō measuring up in the popularity stakes with the females? Young male Tākitimu is super-stud of the...
-
Action stations
Don't count your kākāpō chicks until they hatch, kākāpō leaky homes and lots more kākāpō sex, all in episode 4 of the Kākāpō Files. The 2019 kākāpō breeding season continues at breakneck speed. Nineteen of 21 females on Anchor Island have mated and are starting to nest. Down on Whenua Hou/Codfish...
-
Busy birds
Kākāpō breeding action really kicked off on Christmas Eve and in episode 3 of the Kākāpō Files we discover it is in full swing. Let's not be coy about this. Lots of kākāpō are having lots of kākāpō sex. And the first eggs of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have been laid. DOC's Kākāpō Recovery...
-
Early birds
In episode 2 of the Kākāpō Files we find out that when it comes to kākāpō breeding the early birds are, well, very early. It's the summer solstice, and things are definitely hotting up in the kākāpō world. DOC's Kākāpō Recovery Programme scientist Andrew Digby says there is lots of booming action...
-
Kākāpō - night parrot
The kākāpō is one of the world's rarest birds, and in the first episode of the Kākāpō Files we learn about the giant flightless parrot's 'love triangle.' Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Kākāpō Files II have?
Kākāpō Files II currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Kākāpō Files II about?
The Kākāpō Files podcast is back with what’s set to be the biggest breeding season of all time for the world’s favourite parrot. Monthly episodes from late May 2026.
How often does Kākāpō Files II release new episodes?
Kākāpō Files II has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Kākāpō Files II?
You can listen to Kākāpō Files II on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Kākāpō Files II?
Kākāpō Files II is created and hosted by RNZ.
URL copied to clipboard!