Fun Norfolk Kaka Facts For Kids

Parrots have always remained to be one of the most mesmerizing birds in the bird kingdom. Today there are around 320 known species are there In the world.

However, among these species, there lived many other species that became extinct before humanity could study them better, one such species is the Norfolk Island kaka. The kaka Nestor was first found in Norfolk Island and was later introduced to the common public through its various published discretion.

Initially, these parrots were found in both Norfolk Island and Phillip Island, which is what we call New Zealand today. These were considered different species and were given different names by the birdlife committee of that time.

However, later both the Nestor norfolcensis and Nestor productus were considered as the same species of a parrot. To learn more about such amazing and mind-blowing birds, do not forget to check out our other articles on kea parrot and thick-billed parrot.

Norfolk Kaka Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Norfolk kaka?

A Norfolk island kaka was a type of bird, it was an orange parrot, and this species was described to be very loud and often found sitting on trees. Their population lived both on the ground and trees, they were the first bough to attention by John Gould.

What class of animal does a Norfolk kaka belong to?

The kaka Nestor belongs to the Aves class, they were very large in size and had a very big beak. They share a family with kaka parrots from New Zealand and are very closely related to them.

How many Norfolk kakas are there in the world?

The entire population of the Norfolk island kaka parrots today is extinct. When the European settlers and the English settlers came to Norfolk Island with the purpose of colonization, they saw these parrots as potential food.

The Norfolk island kaka parrots were often hunted, trapped, and held in captivity as pets. These kakas, Nestor productus, were also used for feeding by the settlers. These societies were also hunted in the wild by Polynesians as well, which lead to their extinction.

Where does a Norfolk kaka live?

Both Norfolk island and Phillip island were home to these olive-chested parrots. Their range was spread throughout these regions. However, during the years 1788 and 1814 they suffered heavily due to hunting and eventually went extinct in the year 1854.

What is a Norfolk kaka's habitat?

According to John Gould, these species were found in the native forests of Norfolk island and Phillip island. They were also spread in London if the birdlife committee is to be believed. Today their distant relative is found in New Zealand.

Who do Norfolk kakas live with?

The Norfolk Island kaka (Nestor productus) lived both on the ground and trees. They favored canopy trees more. These birds often fed on flowering shrubs and fruits from the trees. Their range was spread throughout the north and south of the forests.

How long does a Norfolk kaka live?

Kaka birds are said to live for around 20 years in the wild. The same can be said about the Norfolk island kaka, these species were held in captivity was the English settlers and were tamed as pets. The last of this species was captive in London and died in the year 1851.

How do they reproduce?

Very less is known about the breeding habit of this population of parrot. However, it's assumed that the Norfolk island kaka laid eggs often on the trees and chose hollow tree holes for their nest.

These large birds used to lay around four to five eggs in the wild. They often relied on nectar and flowers for food and feeding the young. The kaka, Nestor productus, is also said to be very loud and could imitate various sounds, to save their young from predators in the wild.

What is their conservation status?

This species of parrots suffered a lot from habitat loss and hunting to be used for food. They became extinct in the year 1851.

Norfolk Kaka Fun Facts

What does Norfolk kaka look like?

As described by John Gould they were very large birds and had red hues all across their body. Adults of this species had olive chests and brown heads and wings. Their cheeks were red and orange. They had a brown tail and a long sharp pal brown bill, they also had brown iris.

How cute are they?

This species of parrot was indeed very beautiful, some birdlife experts also consider them a few of the most beautiful populations of parrot ever lived. Their red cheeks were quite visible even from a distance if the published work by John Gould is to believe.

How do they communicate?

These birds mainly had their habitat built on both ground and trees. It's known that the Norfolk island kaka would produce very loud and hoarse calls, which would sometimes mimic a dog's barking. Many people also live that the kaka, Nestor productus, could mimic various sounds.

How big is a Norfolk kaka?

The kaka, Nestor productus, was a very large parrot. The birdlife researchers believe that the kaka parrot species from New Zealand is their closest relative. However, these birds were almost equal in size to a pesquet's parrot and a little smaller in size when evaluated against a great black hawk.

How fast can a Norfolk kaka fly?

Not much is known about how Norfolk island kaka birds were in a flight. However, it can be assumed that they were similar to the kaka species from New Zealand.

How much does a Norfolk kaka weigh?

A Norfolk island kaka weighs around 14-20 oz (390-560 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Before going extinct, this species was not assigned different names for their male and female sexes. John Gould too addressed this bird with similar names for both sexes, and so did the birdlife committee.

What would you call a baby Norfolk kaka?

A baby bird is called nestling when they are too young to fly or still in a nest.

What do they eat?

The Norfolk island kaka relied on fruits, flowers, seeds, and nectar for their diet. There is also a wide range of flowers they consumed.

Are they dangerous?

No, these red-cheeked birds are not dangerous at all. They had a herbivorous diet and didn't harm any neighboring animals or birds as well.

Would they make a good pet?

They were made pets by many settlers, but they are an extinct species.

Did you know...

The Norfolk island kaka has a strong sharp bill, to bite through the rotten trees and also to extract seeds from pine trees.

These birds used to be year-round migratory birds.

How to tell female and male Norfolk kaka apart?

It's very different to tell difference between a male and a female Norfolk island kaka. However, females have dark spots under their tails and while males have a uniform color.

Was the Norfolk kaka endemic?

Yes, the Norfolk island kaka were endemic to their native Norfolk island and also the Phillip island. They eventually became extinct in the year 1850.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these jacana facts and umbrella bird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Norfolk island kaka coloring pages.

*We've been unable to source an image of the Norfolk Island kaka and have used an image of a New Zealand kaka as the main picture instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of the Norfolk Island kaka, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com