Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II

Almost 90% of adult female kākāpō of breeding age have mated so far this breeding season, and two thirds of those are nesting. Some birds have already laid a full clutch of eggs and while some clutches are 100% fertile, others are - as expected - unfortunately infertile. To date there are 55 fertile kākāpō eggs, and that number grows daily as kākāpō rangers find nests and are able to check the developing eggs. Alison Ballance checks in from Whenua Hou, where technical advisor Daryl Eason is nearing the end of the artificial insemination programme. He is excited that a ‘lost’ female has been found and wonders if she is also nesting.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected]
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
01:02 – Nest and egg updates
05:43 – A ‘lost’ bird is refound
08:00 – Waikawa, layer of fertile eggs
08:38 - Closing credits
Learn more:
Follow the Kākāpō Files podcast to keep up to date
Watch the livestreaming kākāpō nest cam of Rakiura on her nest
Listen to the Voice of the Kākāpō series for a recap of the 2019 breeding season
Also listen to the episodes covering the interim 2022 breeding season, and about how a few male kākāpō have fared in the North Island, in the fenced Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
For more New Zealand science and nature find and follow the Our Changing World podcast, and subscribe to the show’s monthly newsletter
Guests:
Technical advisor, Daryl Eason, Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Kākāpō Files is made in collaboration with the Department of Conservation’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

More than three-quarters of female kākāpō of breeding age have mated so far, and the number of nests is growing rapidly. Kākāpō operations manager Deidre Vercoe tells Alison Ballance that 101 eggs have been laid to date, and while it is early days 38 eggs are known to be fertile. As always, infertile eggs are a major problem, although science advisor Andrew Digby explains that recent research shows that many eggs are in fact fertilised but die in the first day or two. And Deidre says that the Kākāpō Recovery Programme takes threats such as the fungal disease aspergillosis, failure of the rimu fruit to ripen and the possible arrival of highly pathogenic bird flu in New Zealand very seriously.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected].
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
00:57 – Mating update
03.28 – Nesting update and 101 eggs
09:13 – Bird of the Week: Kākāpō Cam star Rakiura
10:34 – Egg infertility
12:12 – Threats including aspergillosis and bird flu
14:15 - Closing credits…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The 2026 kākāpō breeding season is all systems go: nearly half of the females of breeding age have mated and so far 15 females are nesting. Technical Advisor Daryl Eason talks about record-breaking female Ongaonga who, at 4 years-old, is the youngest female kākāpō ever to breed. There are plenty of other first-time breeders as well. Six females were successfully inseminated with sperm from under-represented males. Ranger Maddy Whitaker updates us with the latest numbers, including a single fertile egg so far, and tech expert Jake Osborne introduces the kākāpō nest cam, beaming live from Rakiura’s nest on Whenua Hou.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected].
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
01:25 - Youngest female to mate
04:53 - Daryl Eason on Artificial insemination progress
09:17 - Maddy Whittaker with mating and nesting updates
16:00 - Jake Osborne on the kākāpō nest cam
20:32 - Closing credits…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There have been 24 kākāpō matings so far, and the number is increasing as mating action heats up on all three breeding islands. Deidre Vercoe, from the Kākāpō Recovery Programme, tells Alison Ballance that some 7-year-old birds from the 2019 breeding season have mated for the first time. The first female to mate this season, Pearl, has laid infertile eggs, but nightly activity monitoring shows that three more females have started nesting. Technical Advisor Daryl Eason talks about the under-achievers, founder kākāpō that either haven’t bred at all or have produced only a few chicks.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected]
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
00:51 – Mating updates
03:06 - Nesting updates
06:27 - Artificial insemination progress
10:40 - Male under-achievers
14:09 - Female under-achievers
15:26 - Closing credits
Learn more:
Follow the Kākāpō Files podcast to keep up to date.
Listen to the Voice of the Kākāpō series for a recap of the 2019 breeding season. Also listen to the episodes covering the interim 2022 breeding season, and about how a few male kākāpō have fared in the North Island, in the fenced Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
For more New Zealand science and nature find and follow the Our Changing World podcast, and subscribe to the show’s monthly newsletter.
Guests:
Andrew Digby, Science Advisor, Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Daryl Eason, Technical Advisor, Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Kākāpō Files is made in collaboration with the Department of Conservation’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Early bird Pearl has laid the first eggs of the 2026 kākāpō breeding season but Kākāpō Recovery Programme science advisor Andrew Digby tells Alison Ballance that it’s too soon to know if they are fertile. Youngsters Huhū and Hondy are the third pair to mate on Whenua Hou, and Heather and Bluster Murphy are the fourth. Hine Taumai and Henry are the first to mate on Anchor Island. Technical advisor Daryl Eason explains the use of artificial insemination (AI), and we find out why it is a useful genetics tool and what the AI team are up to in the field.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected]
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
02:10 – Mating updates
08.48 – Discussion about using artificial insemination (AI)
15:28 – Andrew reports on the first AI efforts for this breeding season.
20:51 – Closing credits
Learn more:
Follow the Kākāpō Files podcast to keep up to date.
Listen to the Voice of the Kākāpō series for a recap of the 2019 breeding season. Also listen to the episodes covering the interim 2022 breeding season, and about how a few male kākāpō have fared in the North Island, in the fenced Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
For more New Zealand science and nature find and follow the Our Changing World podcast, and subscribe to the show’s monthly newsletter.
Guests:
Andrew Digby, Science Advisor, Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Daryl Eason, Technical Advisor, Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Kākāpō Files is made in collaboration with the Department of Conservation’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details