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Endangered Species Guide
Endangered Birds

KAKAPO (Strigops habroptilus)
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Description: The kakapo is a rare bird that lives in the temperate forest of four islands off the coast of New Zealand. It feeds on a variety of nuts and plant parts, and has an unusual habit of chewing the juice out of plant leaves and leaving a ball of fibrous material behind. This species is highly vulnerable to predation by non-native predators and estimates are that fewer than 100 survive today.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
USFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threat: Predation by non-native species
Habitat: Temperate forest, tussocklands, scrublands and coastal areas
Location: New Zealand
Diet: Nuts, leaves and other plant parts

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