Facts about Takahe
- 11
Takahe can live over 20 years in the wild, with some individuals recorded surviving into their third decade, contributing significantly to population recovery efforts through extended reproductive lifespans.
- 10
Takahe chicks fledge at approximately 8-10 weeks of age, remaining dependent on their parents for food and protection well into their first year of life.
- 09
During the 1980s, New Zealand established dedicated predator-proof islands as intensive management sanctuaries, allowing takahe populations to increase from approximately 50 individuals to over 400 by 2020.
- 08
Takahe calls include loud, resonant booming sounds that can travel up to 5 kilometers across Fiordland valleys, serving as territorial announcements between neighboring birds.
- 07
Takahe have striking cobalt-blue plumage on their upper bodies and heads, contrasting sharply with their red and orange bills and legs.
- 06
Takahe pairs maintain territories of approximately 10 to 15 hectares year-round, defending the same land for multiple decades with remarkable site fidelity.
- 05
A takahe's diet consists almost entirely of native snow tussock grass, which comprises over 90 percent of their food intake during winter months.
- 04
Fewer than 500 takahe existed in the wild as of 2023, with most populations confined to Fiordland and other specially managed New Zealand reserves.
- 03
Breeding pairs of takahe produce only one chick per year, with clutch sizes typically ranging from one to three eggs across their entire reproductive season.
- 02
The takahe weighs between 2.7 and 4.1 kilograms, making it one of New Zealand's heaviest living flightless birds.
- 01
In 1948, the takahe was rediscovered in New Zealand's Fiordland after being presumed extinct for 50 years.