1.Who is Takahe?
Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri), also known as the South Island Takahe or Notorious, is the largest living species of the rail family in the world and also indigenous to New Zealand. Takahe is an enormous gallinule, a deep blue of the head, a neck and underside, an olive green on the wings and back, and a whitish undertail. Red frontal shield. Stout legs are red, and the bottom is orange. This being is the spine of islands and lowland reserves. Juveniles are dark-skinned with a black-orange beak and dark pink-brown legs
2.What is the sound of Takahe called?
Takahē’s main calls are the loud screams, a quiet hooting call, and a silent boom that shows an alarm.
3.How many Takahe are left in New Zealand?
Today Takahe is classified as nationally vulnerable and has a population of over 400 birds. In 2011-2012, the population of South Island Takahe was approximately 276 birds, nearly 110 in Fairland, nearly 107 in restoration sites, 11 in captive display sites, and 48 in captive breeding sites
4.What does a Takahe eat?
They eat mostly the starchy leaf bases of tussock grasses (Chionochloa spp) and sedge species (Uncinia spp, Carex coriacea), tussock seeds (when available), rushes (Juncus spp) and Aciphylla spp are sometimes taken. Tiny grass is fed by tips. If the snow cover is high, alternate carbohydrates are found in the underground rhizomes of the summer green fern, Hypolepis millefolium, and the rhizomes of sedge (Carex coriaceae). Foods on other sites are not seasonally changed. pasture grass is available year-round. Takahē opportunistically takes a protein in the form of large insects (beetles, moths, weta), or very rarely lizards or ducklings.
5.Who is similar to the Takahe?
Takahe looks similar to their distant relative, the pūkeko (purple swamphen) that are common and can fly, and are smaller and more slender, with relatively longer legs, and black on the wings and back.
6.What is the difference between a Takahe and a Pukeko?
They look similar to their distant relative the pūkeko/purple swamphen (that are common and can fly), but takahē is much larger and more brightly colored. Takahe weigh between 2.3 – 3 kg.
7.Is Takahe Endangered?
For more than 70 years, measures to ensure takahē is never again considered extinct have included pioneering conservation techniques for endangered species, captive breeding, island translocations, and wild releases. Now takahē is classified as Nationally Vulnerable(NV), with a population of just over 400 birds.
8.Can Takahe become extinct?
They already Back from extinction. After the extinction of Takahē, who was thought to have been invisible for 50 years and long extinct, was discovered in November 1948 in the remote Murchison Mountains of Fiordland. The discovery was made not by a scientist or a wildlife specialist, but by Southland physician Dr. Geoffrey Orbell.
They have since moved to seven islands and several mainland areas, making them more accessible to many New Zealanders. The conservation work by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and community groups aims to prevent extinction and restore the Takahe to sites throughout their original range. Pioneer conservation techniques for endangered species include island translocations, captive breeding, and wild releases to ensure that the Takahe extinction will never again.
9.How many eggs does takahe lay?
Takahe, 1-2 calves are raised once a year. The eggs are pale buff or cream, with variable reddish or purplish splotches and median dimensions of the eggs are, 73.6 mm (length) and 48.1 mm (width). Takahe generally lay one to three eggs in each October, of which around 80% hatch. Both parents are shared by The 30-day incubation period, who also feed the chicks for the first three months. The nest of Takahe is a significant bowl of ground, a large grassy lawn, or shelter under the thickest bushes. They are usually built by dead grass stems. Their mean nestling period is 2 weeks. The pairs will defend their territory fiercely. Families need a lot of space which has 4-40 hectares of land depending on the availability and quality of their food.
10.What are takahe predators?
Deer love to browse the same tussock species as in Takahe. Unfortunately, this can affect the growth of tussock and can affect the food and habitat of Takahe. Stoats are predators of Takahe. In 2007 there was the stoat pandemic that diminished the population of Takahe in Murchison. Native grasslands in the forest are home to the Takahe
Cover Photo – Craig McKenzie in flicker
References
native-animals. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.doc.govt.nz: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/takahe/
A takahe is not a pukeko. (n.d.). Retrieved from thestandard.org.nz: https://thestandard.org.nz/a-takahe-is-not-a-pukeko/
south-island-takahe. (n.d.). Retrieved from nzbirdsonline.org.nz: http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/south-island-takahe
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