Caring for kākā

By Kirsten Anderson, Senior Vet at Te Kōhanga The Nest at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo

As Tangata Tiriti, I feel privileged to call Te Whanganui-a-Tara home. One of the greatest joys of this beautiful city is its abundant native wildlife and the unifying enthusiasm they bring out in Wellingtonians. I whakapapa to Scotland, so living alongside wild parrots is still a delightful novelty for me; I feel lucky to hear kākā whistling and screeching on my morning bike to work, and I instinctively look up to catch a flash of their auburn wings zooming overhead. 

Many of us can’t imagine life in Wellington without this cacophonous soundtrack, but kākā were locally extinct here for a century, driven out by forest clearance and introduced predators. The reintroduction of a breeding population at Zealandia 22 years ago marked the beginning of a skyrocketing turnaround for the species, and collaborative mahi/work from iwi, community groups, Predator Free projects, Wellington City Council and Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo has secured their success. We are so fortunate to share our spaces with kākā again, but like with any new housemate, we are still learning how to do this respectfully and mindfully.  

Kākā are notoriously curious, charismatic, and clever. These personality traits mean that they frequently interact with people in an urban environment, often visiting our backyards to investigate their surroundings and cause some lighthearted mischief. Sadly, these visits have created a new threat to kākā: being fed inappropriate food by well-meaning people. At Te Kōhanga wildlife hospital, we joke that our kākā patients behave like highly intelligent and persuasive toddlers. It is our responsibility (as the adults in the room!) to be the voice of reason and resist the temptation to feed kākā in the wild.  

When it comes to their natural diet, kākā are described as “seasonal specialists”. They are exceptionally resourceful and perfectly adapted to eat a variety of nectars, native fruit, seeds, sap, and insects in the wild. Nutritionally, the composition of human foods and modern, cultivated fruits, are completely inappropriate for kākā, resulting in severe vitamin deficiencies and mineral imbalances that cause devastating disease.  

During the breeding season, adult kākā forage for food and return to their nests to regurgitate the meal for their chicks. If this feed is provided by a human (usually some combination of nuts, apples, bread, rice, and sunflower seeds), it will disrupt the chick’s development during the critical growth phase and lead to painful, disabling deformities. This condition is known as Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).  

Last summer, we received an urgent call at Te Kōhanga from our hoamahi/colleagues at Zealandia. A vulnerable kākā nestling had been found outside the fence with an injured leg. The tiny bird, less than a month old, was rushed to our clinic for urgent stabilisation and pain relief. Under anaesthesia, we performed x-rays that confirmed MBD. The nestling had severely deformed and weakened femurs, one of which had fractured under the weight of its small body. Its condition was too debilitating to survive in the wild, and the kindest action was to humanely euthanise this chick to prevent suffering. This heartbreaking and preventable outcome was directly linked to inappropriate human feeding.  

Hosting kākā in our gardens is a special experience that connects us with nature, but we must remember they are smart and capable birds and can be trusted to find their own food sources. When the ngahere/forest thrives, the kākā thrives. Invite birds to your backyard by planting native rākau/trees and encouraging your community to do the same. Let’s ensure our wild bird neighbours continue to live happily and healthily among us for many more years to come.

Photo: A kākā x-ray by Te Kōhanga The Nest at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo