Rare parrot survives lead poisoning

After months of munching macadamias Sirocco the kākāpō conservation superstar has moved onto manuka. Photo: Chris Birmingham.AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- A kakapo, a member of one of the rarest bird species on Earth, is to be released into the wild after being treated for lead poisoning at a New Zealand zoo.

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Quest to sniff out kakapo scent spans centuries

His name is Felix and he was not an easy capture for his annual condition check (Strigops habroptilus) Photo: Brent BarretFeathers of the flightless kakapo are being flown around the world as part of a Massey biologist’s quest to understand the role of the critically endangered native parrot’s sense of smell and the power of male feather fragrance on breeding behaviour.

Drawing on scientific expertise from Austria and the United States and using kakapo specimens collected in the 1880s now stored in Vienna’s Museum of Natural History, Associate Professor Dianne Brunton along with PhD student Anna Gsell are pursuing a series of research objectives being carried out across the globe to analyse kakapo skulls, bodies and the erotic scent of the males’ feathers.

Dr Brunton, who heads the Institute of Natural Resources’ Ecology and Conservation group at Albany, says it is likely that bird body odour plays a significant role in female kakapo mate choice.

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Kakapo in successful return journey

ISLAND LIFE: Endangered kakapo that were removed from Codfish Island after a food shortage have been successfully relocated to the island.Six endangered kakapo chicks have returned to Codfish Island following a food shortage that saw them removed from the pest-free sanctuary to ensure their survival.

The chicks, now three months old, were taken to Nelson to be hand reared in special facilities by Department of Conservation staff.

In April it was discovered there was not enough natural food on the island, which is close to Stewart Island, for their mothers to feed them.

More than 8000 people visited the chicks at public viewings held in Invercargill and Nelson.

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Feathered Bloodhounds?

Super sniffer. A well-developed sense of smell may help the nocturnal kakapo find food in the dark. Photo:Don MertonHawks are famous for their sharp vision, and owls are renowned for their keen hearing, but birds rarely get much credit for their sense of smell. That may change thanks to the first analysis of olfactory genes in a wide range of avian species. Birds, it turns out, may be better smellers than we thought.

Researchers interested in bird behavior have tended to focus on their flashy mating displays, melodious songs, and other talents, leaving the avian sense of smell largely unexplored. A handful of studies have hinted that smell does play a role in bird behavior (ScienceNOW, 29 October 2004), but very little is known about the underlying biology.

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Boom year for kakapo on the cards

While male kakapo "boom" for a mate every year, females breed when there is an abundant food supply, a likely occurrence this year. Photo Gideon Climo. The booming of the male kakapo this breeding season is likely to be followed by an unprecedented population boom, with experts predicting a 50% increase in the population of the critically endangered bird species.

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