Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II

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

It’s the New Year and we’re in the early days of a big kākāpō breeding season. Daryl Eason from the Kākāpō Team tells Alison Ballance that Esperance and Ian are the second kākāpō to mate, and he expects that any minute now there will be plenty more birds mating. The kākāpō population drops to 236 birds. Science advisor Andrew Digby explains why every living kākāpō has had its genome sequenced, and what genes can reveal – including why some kākāpō have olive feathers and others are bright green. And we meet over-achievers Flossie and Blades.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected]
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
00:38 – Daryl Eason with news of the second mating of the season, what Pearl is up to and a death
05:10 – Andrew Digby talks genomes and feather colour
12:10 – Super breeders Flossie and Blades
14:08 – 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

It’s nearly the New Year and we’re counting down to the start of a big kākāpō breeding season. Island ranger Maddy Whittaker tells Alison Ballance that Pearl and Boss are the first kākāpō to mate. Deidre Vercoe, operations manager for the Kākāpō Team, explains that kākāpō mums on Whenua Hou will get wrap-round support, while management on Anchor Island and Te Kakahu/Chalky Island will be more hands-off. Scientist Andrew Digby talks about the role of technology in making this possible, and digs into the kākāpō’s boring gut microbiome. Technical advisor Daryl Eason introduces founder female Margaret-Maree, matriarch of a lineage with five living generations.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to [email protected]
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
00:53 – Kākāpō ranger Maddy Whittaker with news that Pearl and Boss on Whenua Hou are the first kākāpō to mate.
06:02 – Operations Manager of the Kākāpō Recovery Programme Deidre Vercoe explains that kākāpō mums on Whenua Hou will get wrap-round support, while management on Anchor Island and Te Kakahu / Chalky Island will be more hands-off.
10:08 – Science Advisor Andrew Digby talks about the role of technology and the kākāpō’s dull microbiome.
13:24 – Technical Advisor Daryl Eason introduces Margaret-Maree, matriarch of a dynasty with five living generations.
16:18 – Closing credits…
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details