Here's how New Zealand saved the kakapo from extinction on.natgeo.com/3Q7fmSj

Kākāpō chicks go through an amusing and quirky playful stage from around 65 days of age. They are super curious and enjoy exploring their surroundings. Kākāpō playing with a rolled up towel. Simple but very effective enrichment for these chickies 💚

here's what i've been up to with @PlayPartyParrot patreon.com/posts/rewriting-…

𝘒𝘪𝘢 𝘰𝘳𝘢 from New Zealand where Rakiura makes sure Nora and Heather start their day with a healthy breakfast. #Kakapo #nzwildlife

For the first time in four years, kākāpō are breeding again. Experts are optimistic that 2026 could deliver the most productive breeding season for the kākāpō in decades. These critically endangered, flightless, nocturnal parrots—native exclusively to New Zealand—are among the world's heaviest and most intensively managed bird species. Their reproduction is highly irregular, occurring only every two to four years when native rimu trees undergo a "mast" event, producing an abundance of protein-rich fruit and seeds that provide the essential nutrition for egg-laying and chick-rearing. After a four-year hiatus since the last major breeding in 2022, the pattern has shifted dramatically this year. A significant rimu mast is underway, triggering widespread mating activity that began as early as late December 2025. Males congregate in traditional leks—communal display areas—where they construct intricate networks of cleared tracks and bowl-shaped depressions to amplify their deep, booming calls. These resonant, low-frequency sounds carry far through the dense forest, attracting females for courtship. The Kākāpō Recovery Programme, run by New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) in partnership with Ngāi Tahu, now monitors the entire known population of 236 individuals (as of early 2026), including 83 breeding-age females. Every bird is fitted with a small radio transmitter to track movements, mating behavior, and nesting success in real time. Females typically produce one to five eggs but usually fledge just a single chick per season, meaning even high participation could yield a substantial influx of young—potentially the highest number since systematic records began 30 years ago. Conservation strategies for kākāpō rank among the most hands-on globally: decades of efforts have included hand-rearing chicks, supplemental feeding, predator-free island translocations, and vigilant nest protection. For 2026, however, managers are deliberately scaling back intervention in many cases—allowing more eggs to incubate naturally and permitting mothers to raise offspring with less human involvement. This approach aims to foster greater self-sufficiency and resilience in the population. As Deidre Vercoe, operations manager for the kākāpō recovery program, explained: “We want to create healthy, self-sustaining populations of kākāpō that are thriving, not just surviving.” A robust food supply combined with reduced interference could mark a pivotal step toward that goal. If the season fulfills expectations, with chicks hatching from mid-February onward, it would represent meaningful progress in pulling this iconic species back from the edge of extinction. [Department of Conservation (DOC), "Kākāpō breeding season officially underway" media release (January 6, 2026)]

‘My lovely distraction’: live stream of kākāpō – world’s fattest parrot – and her chicks captivates New Zealand theguardian.com/world/2026/m…

Revel in the colours. Andrew Digby, 5/3/2026: "Female #kakapo are utterly focused on their chicks. Stella came back to the nest while I was checking her very young chicks two nights ago—unconcerned by me being there, she jumped in and started brooding them in front of me."

The first kakapo chick in four years, brining the kakapo population up to a grand total of 237 birds. The kakapo is an endangered flightless parrot native to New Zealand

For the first time in four years, kākāpō are breeding again. Experts are optimistic that 2026 could deliver the most productive breeding season for the kākāpō in decades. These critically endangered, flightless, nocturnal parrots—native exclusively to New Zealand—are among the world's heaviest and most intensively managed bird species. Their reproduction is highly irregular, occurring only every two to four years when native rimu trees undergo a "mast" event, producing an abundance of protein-rich fruit and seeds that provide the essential nutrition for egg-laying and chick-rearing. After a four-year hiatus since the last major breeding in 2022, the pattern has shifted dramatically this year. A significant rimu mast is underway, triggering widespread mating activity that began as early as late December 2025. Males congregate in traditional leks—communal display areas—where they construct intricate networks of cleared tracks and bowl-shaped depressions to amplify their deep, booming calls. These resonant, low-frequency sounds carry far through the dense forest, attracting females for courtship. The Kākāpō Recovery Programme, run by New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) in partnership with Ngāi Tahu, now monitors the entire known population of 236 individuals (as of early 2026), including 83 breeding-age females. Every bird is fitted with a small radio transmitter to track movements, mating behavior, and nesting success in real time. Females typically produce one to five eggs but usually fledge just a single chick per season, meaning even high participation could yield a substantial influx of young—potentially the highest number since systematic records began 30 years ago. Conservation strategies for kākāpō rank among the most hands-on globally: decades of efforts have included hand-rearing chicks, supplemental feeding, predator-free island translocations, and vigilant nest protection. For 2026, however, managers are deliberately scaling back intervention in many cases—allowing more eggs to incubate naturally and permitting mothers to raise offspring with less human involvement. This approach aims to foster greater self-sufficiency and resilience in the population. As Deidre Vercoe, operations manager for the kākāpō recovery program, explained: “We want to create healthy, self-sustaining populations of kākāpō that are thriving, not just surviving.” A robust food supply combined with reduced interference could mark a pivotal step toward that goal. If the season fulfills expectations, with chicks hatching from mid-February onward, it would represent meaningful progress in pulling this iconic species back from the edge of extinction. [Department of Conservation (DOC), "Kākāpō breeding season officially underway" media release (January 6, 2026)]

What made Club Penguin YOUR game?

The sea surrounding Skipwreck Island even has the exact same sky as Kakapo Island. Stars, white clouds, and a purple/pink gradient. Could this be a coincidence, or the passing between worlds? If so, why would a portal even be on RH's map? He doesn't use portals, does he? Well..

PPW's map shows Penguin Island surrounded by three smaller islands, as well as a whale & giant squid. This is the same layout from Club Penguin, shown during “Rockhopper’s Quest” in 2012. This seems to tell us that the parrots traveled to Shipwreck Island.

Happy holidays, parrots! Here's a new update video for you: youtube.com/watch?v=QBTJXMT6…

What lore are you most interested in? ☕

congrats to anyone who had this collab on their bingo card!

Happy 20th birthday, Club Penguin! In celebration, I'm making a new video! And as some of you requested, I will be uploading it along with some older Club Penguin videos here: youtube.com/@polofield

Should we all start referring to virtual worlds as "Clublikes" or "Penguinlikes"? 😂

How do you enjoy new books and stories? Cast your vote in our first weekly poll here: patreon.com/posts/weekly-pol…

Exciting news about the next chapter of Party Parrot on our Patreon: patreon.com/posts/end-of-cha…

Long way to go for us to hit those heights! But we parrots were born to dream! 💚