The Takahe

This is a photo of Dr Falla and Dr Orbell (right) in 1949. Dr Falla is holding a takahe chick.
Photo courtesy of the Department of Conservation.
Dr Geoffrey Orbell rediscovered the takahe on the 20^th of November 1948. It turned out there were about 250 takahe living in the valleys of the Murchison Mountains and the neighbouring ranges.

The valley where Dr Orbell rediscovered the takahe was named ‘Takahe Valley’ and the Lake nearby was named 'Lake Orbell' – see where they are on the Takahe Map.

Recommended reading "Saving New Zealand’s Endangered Birds" by Rod Morris and Hal Smith, 1995. This book has a chapter about the takahe. It tells the wonderful story of Dr Orbell’s discovery – it was an amazing adventure.

Takahe once lived throughout New Zealand... their bones have been found in maori middens. Like the moa, their numbers shrank in the face of maori hunting, but unlike the moa, the takahe did not become extinct. Instead they survived in the bleak, remote Murchison mountains, safe from the hunters.

Isolation saved the takahe but even in their remote mountains they became threatened , this time by introduced stoats and deer, which ate the takahe's favourite tussock grasses.

Nowadays, while the takehe population in the Murchison mountains remains, new populations are being established on predator-free islands like Maud and Kapiti, and the takahe are thriving in the lowlands where they used to live.

• Beautiful blue and green feathers
• Small wings – not used for flying
• About the size of a large hen
• Approximately 50cm tall
• Around 3 kilograms in weight
• Strong beak
• Sturdy legs

Stuff about the takahe…

• The takahe is only found in New Zealand, which means it is endemic to New Zealand.
• It is an endangered species
• Another Maori name for the takahe is ‘moho’
• The takahe is an 'old' New Zealander, descended from the Australian pukeko-like ancestor. The takahe became big and flightless and slow breeding in New Zealand. Its relation, the present pukeko only arrived from Australia a few thousand years ago.
• In 1847 the takahe was given the scientific name ‘Notornis mantelli' after the scientist Walter Mantell, who discovered takahe bones in the North Island. However the takahe is now recognised in the same grouping as the pukeko, so its scientific name changed to 'Porphyrio mantelli hochstetteri'.
• Takahe have lived to be over 20 years old in captivity, but few wild birds reach this age
• Takahe are related to the pukeko (another native New Zealand bird)
• Takahe wings are not used for flying, but they are used during courtship and to show aggression
• It is the largest living member of the rail family of birds
• Once found in both the North and South Islands, takahe now only live in the wild in the Murchison and Stuart Mountains in Fiordland National Park.
• Small numbers of takahe have been relocated to four offshore islands - Maud, Mana, Kapiti and Tiritiri Matangi
• Takahe Valley in Fiordland National Park was named after the takahe
• In 1953 a 500 kilometre square area within Fiordland National Park was set aside especially for takahe conservation
• Fiordland National Park was set up in the same year Dr Orbell rediscovered the takahe - 1948. (Learn more about New Zealand’s National Parks)

What does a takahe do all day?

They eat and eat and eat and eat. Like many browsing creatures they spend most of the day eating to get enough nourishment from their food source. The Murchison Mountains takahe’s preferred food is three varieties of tussock grass - broad leafed snow tussock, mid-ribbed snow tussock and curled snow tussock. They eat the fresh, juicy part at the bottom of each blade, where the sugar and protein is found.

Takahe also eat fern roots, but generally only in winter when the tussock is snowed in. Sometimes takahe eat the mountain daisy, Celmisia petriei, other grasses, sedges and herbs and moths. Takahe parents will feed invertebrates to young chicks to give them more protein.

Takahe living on off-shore islands eat all sorts of grasses. Takahe are quite adaptable to other environments - and remember that takahe did used to live throughout New Zealand.

There's some good pictures of takahe eating tussock grass in 'Takahe' By Roger Lavers and Jim Mills. Published by John McIndoe, 1984.

Takahe chicks…

A female takahe needs to be at least two years old before she will have chicks. When takahe find partners to have chicks with, they will usually mate for life.

Breeding begins in October. Takahe build a nest on the ground amongst vegetation where they can hide a nest. Two eggs are usually laid, but sometimes it’s 1 or 3, between mid October and mid December. The takahe parents take turns at incubating the eggs, which take around 30 days to hatch.

Takahe chicks have black fluffy down (baby feathers) and a black beak – they get their red beak and beautiful green and blue feathers when they get bigger. Both parents feed them for about three months, then they have to get their own food. The chicks learn how to feed themselves by following and copying their parents.

The Department of Conservation traps stoats during spring and summer while the takahe are nesting and when chicks are young. DOC traps the stoats to stop them eating the takahe eggs and chicks.

There are some photo's of takahe chick rearing in 'Takahe' By Jenny Jones. Published by Heinemann Education, 1997.

Murchison Mountains = 133
Elsewhere in Fiordland = 4 (These two figures are minimum counts, there may be a few more that didn’t get counted.)
Burwood Bush Captive Rearing Unit = 20 takahe over 1 year old
Te Anau and Mt Bruce Wildlife Centres = 5
Four offshore islands (Maud, Mana, Kapiti, Tiritiri Matangi) = 59 adults

Total Adult Takahe 1999/2000 season = 221