Kagu

Kagu

We are delighted that Hans-Günther Kost has taken over the sponsorship of this rare bird. Congratulations!

The Kagu(Rhynochetos jubatus) is the last surviving species of the Kagu family (Rhynochetidae). It is only found on the island of New Caledonia, east of Australia.

Kagus grow to about 55 cm and weigh up to 900 g. The entire plumage is white to grey in colour. The beak and legs are long and bright orange in colour. The kagu has a large feather crest on its head, which can be raised in case of danger or excitement. The undersides of its wings are striped grey and black, which is only visible when it spreads its wings. Although their wings reach a normal size, kagus are unable to fly. This is because their flight muscles are completely atrophied. Nevertheless, they use them for locomotion, to escape enemies by gliding from higher locations or to keep their balance with them when climbing. The kagu also has a feature that is unique among birds: its nostrils have so-called nasal flaps that can be closed if necessary. They ensure that no dirt particles can get into the nose when foraging.

The kagu's habitat is the original forests of New Caledonia, as well as occasionally high scrubland up to an altitude of 1400 metres above sea level. Its diet consists exclusively of animal food. Its prey spectrum includes millipedes, snails, beetles, lizards and various worms. The kagu finds these by digging in the foliage with its feet and digging in the ground with its long beak. Remarkably, it is also able to catch poisonous millipedes, which many other animals ignore.

The breeding season of the kagus is between June and August. It lives a strictly monogamous life and only mates with the same partner for many years, sometimes even for life. A simple pile of leaves on the forest floor serves as a nest, in which only a single egg is laid. This is incubated by both parents equally for around 35 days until it hatches. The young kagus become independent after about 14 weeks but often remain in their parents' territory for years to protect it from enemies or other kagu families. Kagus can grow very old. In captivity they can live up to 31 years, in the wild around 20 years.

The population of kagus is currently classified as critically endangered by the World Conservation Organisation. It is estimated that there are only around 1500 left in the wild today. The reasons for this include the ongoing destruction of forests on New Caledonia and the hunting of the animals for the pet trade. The main reason, however, is the introduction of dogs, cats and rats by Europeans in the late 18th century. Before this time, there were no land-living mammals on New Caledonia. The animals hunt the kagus and raid their nests. Due to their inability to fly and the fact that they simply lay their only egg on the ground, they are easy prey. Thanks to numerous breeding programmes and protection measures, the population has now been prevented from declining any further and has remained stable for a few years.