A Very Rare Mounted Specimen of the Extraordinary New Zealand Kakapo ( Strigops Haroptilus ).

Period: 1800-1900

Origin: New Zealand

Medium: Mounted Specimen

Dimension: 51 cm (20¹/₈ inches)

Literature: Extinct in the wild , the New Zealand Kakapo is one of the worlds most endangered parrots . Fewer than 50 survive today all of which have been moved to three offshore islands where they are free from predators and their progress can be carefully monitored by the New Zealand wildlife service .
The Kakapo is flightless and lives and nests in burrows or holes among tree roots , and its chicks and eggs are therefore highly vulnerable to introduced predators . It is the largest , fattest and heaviest species of parrot and it's rounded wings cannot sustain it in the air . It's strongly ridged bill is adapted to extracting juices from plants and rhizomes .
The Kakapo is sometimes known as the 'owl parrot' because of the round facial feather disc set off by whiskers and because of it's nocturnal habits . Emerging from his burrow at dusk in the mating season the New Zealand bush must once have echoed with the males loud characteristic booming call .
They are said to have been affectionate and loyal pets , smelling sweetly of hyacinths and behaving much like a faithful dog .