The kakapo is no ordinary parrot. With short wings and a heavy body, she cannot fly like her distant relatives. Instead, she uses her wings to glide short distances, but for the most part, she walks—sometimes covering several kilometers in a single night.
She is a creature of the darkness, roaming the forests in search of food. By day, she sleeps in hidden burrows, caves, or beneath thick foliage. By night, she awakens, her sharp beak ready to forage.
Though she is gentle, the kakapo has a mischievous streak. Tourists who park their cars at scenic lookouts sometimes return to find their windscreen wipers broken or their antennas bent. The culprit? A curious kakapo, testing the strength of human-made objects with her powerful beak.
Tonight, her journey leads her through the undergrowth, her large, clawed feet padding silently across the damp earth. As she searches for food, a sudden movement catches her eye—a skink, looking dazed and vulnerable. Something is wrong. Its tail is missing.
The kakapo freezes. She tilts her head, scanning the surroundings. Then she spots it—a rat, licking its paws, satisfied with its recent attack. The kakapo stays perfectly still, waiting until the land is clear before she moves again.
With careful steps, she makes her way toward a small bank and slides down. Before she realizes it, her feet sink into cool water, the ripples brushing against her feathers. A trickling stream winds through the forest, its edges lined with tasty plants. Food is plentiful here. She happily nibbles at her find, oblivious to the passing time.
But the night is fading. A pale glow begins to creep through the trees. Dawn is coming.
The kakapo ruffles her feathers, letting out a quiet, deep call. It is time to hurry back to her shelter before the daylight reveals her to the world.
Animalstories 