Here on Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds we’re very excited and a little bemused at finding what could be the world’s first takapo eggs this morning.
Sirocco the incorrigible and amorous kakapo has already earned himself a reputation for attempting to mate outside his species but it seems this time he has outdone himself.
Haggis and Sirocco, the expectant parents
Just over a week ago, on his 14th birthday, Sirocco’s feelings for his friend Haggis the takahē became public when he ruminated on his Facebook page “She’s cute… but she likes figs and I like apples…could anything ever happen between us? Does she even like me?”
Now, at the start of April, we have the answer!
The two eggs, found in a nest hidden under long grass, are being closely monitored.
So far Haggis is proving to be a great mum although, unlike male takahē, who normally share responsibility for the raising of their young, she has discovered that all is not so smooth in cross-species relationships, with Sirocco proving to be a very wings-off kind of dad.
In hindsight, they make a pretty good pairing though – both are big, heavy, flightless birds at the mercy of introduced mammalian predators.
Pest free islands are their refuge. And it seems, like humans, these birds come together in times of trial.
Haggis and Sirocco with their newly found eggs
Both kakapo and takahē eggs have around a 30 day incubation period so, if all goes well, we can expect to see some takapo chicks in the next three weeks.
Or not.
April fools!
[...] The world’s first Takapo Eggs [...]
Ha ha ha ha ha
Did you email the story to the herald, I’ll bet they would print it. They print just about anything these days.
ha ha ha ha lmao
Great stuff, like very much. What have you been feeding Sirocco? What a shame 30 days from now is not April again, or we might even see some pics of takapo chicks
Ha ha! Some keen photoshopping skills worthy of the cover of Women’s Weekly or The Sun!
LMAO! If only it were true!
Amazingly the two pics of the Takahe were identical (although cropped). Almost think they were cloned onto the main pic! But that would be cynical in the extreme – ha!
Giggle … loved the image of his highness peaking into the nest : )
classic! well done DOC
What a good laugh – just what I needed after a tiring day at work! Well done. Next year . . . Haasts Mohua?
[...] Here on Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds we’re very excited and a little bemused at finding what could be the world’s first takapo eggs this morning. Sirocco the incorrigible and amorous kakapo has already earned himself a reputation for attempting to mate outside his species but it seems this time he has outdone himself. [/cap … Read More [...]
You’re brilliant! So very nearly believable! Well done.
I am REALLY slow this morning- I thought this was REAL!! Duh!!
Great post.
How fascinating! Does this pave the way for such hitherto only legendary creatures as pukekeas? Maybe dedicated researchers could manage to arrange a trist between an impossibly flawed feral dog or cat and an Australian possum to give us the long-awaited, infertile impossum? –Gary Bolstad
IT looks exciting. At you SURE this is not an April Fool’s joke?
It is April 1st today.
LOL. Crazy kiwis
I’m waiting for the kakamoa – that would be terrifying
brilliant