Kākā

Kākā (Nestor meridionalis)

PhillipC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Call

North Island kākā call (Source: Department of Conservation CC BY 4.0)

South Island kākā call (Source: Department of Conservation CC BY 4.0)

Where is home?

Dense native forests with old trees containing deep hollows to nest inside.

How are they doing?

North Island kākā are Threatened – Nationally Increasing
South Island kākā are Nationally Vulnerable
Chatham Islands kākā are Extinct.

Vulnerable to habitat destruction and introduced predators.

What are they known for?

• The kākā, has red feathers under its wings. Māori associated the colour red with high rank, and only high-status people wore kahu kura. One cloak could require the feathers of 120 birds. See an example of a kahu kura on Te Papa Collections Online.

• Kākā often mimic the calls of other birds, but one of its most common calls sounds like a creaky door.

Kākā connections

• The kākā is known for its loud screech and chatter so in te ao Māori, talkative or loud-mouthed people might be described as he kākā waha nui (big-mouthed kākā) or he pane kākā (kākā heads).

• Similarly, the call of the kākā is acknowledged in a traditional tauparapara to open formal speeches:

  Ka tangi te tītī
  Ka tangi te kākā
  Ka tangi hoki ahau
  Tihei mauriora!

  The muttonbird (sooty shearwater) calls.
  The kākā (native forest parrot) calls
  Therefore, I too call
  Behold, there is life!