Why This Nocturnal Parrot Only Breeds When Summer is Hot

[@BizarreBeasts]

The pins are long gone, but we do have 3-D printed kākāpō figurines! complexly.store/products/kakapo-3-d-printed-figurine

[@MaximumTaco]

An entire video about the kakapo that doesn't show the BBC clip with Stephen Fry where one gets busy on that guy's head. That is impressive restraint.

[@discephaloid]

That particular kākāpō does make an appearance at 5:27 though.

[@ndemers]

Oh, I've seen that one. Mark Carwardine is his name, and -- I can't speak for him -- but I feel it would be an honour to be violated by a kakapo. Incidentally, I think it's *good* we have enough recent footage of these freaky parrots that we don't need to reuse 10+ years old footage. There are still far too few of them, but they're on the rebound

[@erstwhilegrubstake]

"You are being shagged by a rare parrot". It sounds like a Monty Python skit. :)

[@Hoshimaru57]

All the rest of the clips weren’t enough for you?😄

[@danielclegg3009]

That video is legendary

[@laurachapple6795]

A MAGNIFICENT CHONK.

[@askthebubble28]

Ah, yes DA CHONK

[@adriannegentleman83]

Being from New Zealand I don't think Kakapos are bizarre, just cute, and in need of protection. thank you for telling the world about them.

[@exmachinz]

Being from NZ you should know that Maori nouns are the same in singular and plural: a Kakapo, some Kakapo

[@taniwha3706]

@@exmachinz Not necessarily. Maybe your educational background is more vast than original commenter *shrugging* Mind you I hope they appreciate the truth you kindly shared. As the indigenous people of New Zealand do not have letter "S" *fistbump* May you both lead a life y'all enjoy bc that's best all over for our own wellbeing *peacesign* Live long and prosper 🖖🏾🖖🏾🚹🚺🚻🤓🤓🤓🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🖖🏾

[@wildlifewarrior2670]

No fighting or I'll turn this car around and you won't get any ice cream

[@DARKthenoble]

have you thought about just shooting the predators?

[@rougnashi]

Aaah, yes. My favorite of the flightless dinosaurs. The one that answers the age old question: what if cat but birb?

[@CannonZeroKiryu]

Isn’t that just an owl?

[@zoesdada8923]

What?

[@kengillespie7797]

But the cats clearly don't appreciate the resemblance, vis a vis the cats eating them to the point of extinction.

[@blacky_Ninja]

Birb cats are owls. Kakapos are victorian gentleman birbs.

[@PanthorPapa84]

@@blacky_Ninja indeed

[@hauntedmasc]

"if humans can give a name for every member of your species, things are not going well for you." you mean, like.... humans? i mean, you're not wrong...

[@yuvalne]

I was going to comment that

[@austinshoupe3003]

Despite the constant fretting over the world ending, humanity has been doing consistently better over the long term. The only real issue facing us right now is the sudden increase in misinformation that came with Facebook's explosion of older members in 2014-2016.

[@nathanmartyn2403]

Yep hes very right

[@ShadowMageAlpha]

@@austinshoupe3003 And the encroaching effects of climate change. And the ever increasing gap between those at the top of the socio-economic pecking order and the bottom. And the ease of disease to spread through our globalized world. I could go on, but... I think y'all get it.

[@austinshoupe3003]

@@ShadowMageAlpha I'm sorry, but I don't think you are applying context. Medical science is at a point we're we likely would not have a repeat of the bubonic plague or spanish flu. Diseases can spread easily but Covid, as bad as it's been, does not touch either of those earlier instances. Vaccines are also preventing all sorts of awful diseases such as polio and the various poxes. Socio economic diversity is definitely on the down trend in developed nations, but among all nations the gap is closing. Also, our current state of socio split doesn't touch that of pre 1940s or the racial split pre 1990s. The climate issue is persisting largely due to our misinformation issue. Too many politicians continuing to be reelected because their supports don't believe we have influenced climate change. Those same people tend to not want to participate in global strategies that will reduce the emissions of developing nations. Overall, the world is getting better about emissions, just not quick enough. Fix the misinformation issue (which honestly means waiting until the boomers die off in significant numbers) and the climate issue becomes manageable. Same with repeats of covid. The disease was well maintained in much of the world. The US just sucked at it because the president declared it a hoax. Other nations that struggled were nations also struggling with similar surges of nationalist, science refuting movements. Things look bad over the 5 year trend. Long term were still trending up.

[@melonmelon2848]

That is like the most friendly bird you can encountered in the wild, they don't even wanna run/fly away from us omg xD

[@arthas640]

@Teamgeist it's cool, I'm into that

[@pepesylvia848]

That's just because their defense mechanism is to freeze.

[@williamcameron1831]

its thought that's why a lot of birds are extinct in New Zealand, moas for example being curious walking up to the first humans there who wanted to make them dinner.

[@jorgemtzb9359]

Hahah yes "friendly", just watch your necks don't get shacked.

[@BeeOstrowsky]

“The one thing that birds are supposed to do”, i.e. suddenly appear every time you are near

[@Steveofthejungle8]

Just like me, they long to be, close to you

[@bronniejeynes9723]

Thanks for repping my babies Hank - Advocacy Ranger for the Kakapo Recovery Team =)

[@mortified776]

Thank you so much for doing this work!

[@cucummmber]

I donʻt know if this is an interesting fact, but anyways: Kākāpō literally means ‘Night parrot’ (kākā - parrot, pō - night). My favourite bird. Cutey chubbies and heartbreaking

[@MysterySmell]

Yeah it is heartbreaking. We should ban cats in the south island. would be a good start i reckon

[@swimmingpigeon7034]

@@MysterySmell I think just making it so every adopted cat has to be an indoor cat would be better

[@MysterySmell]

@@swimmingpigeon7034i reckon only if we drag them out on the street to shave there little kitty heads to brand them the traitors to new zealand they are....

[@susannadanner906]

In what language? Because in German... kaka=poo, Po=butt. I just assumed some German scientist decided to humiliate this poor creature (...further).

[@ricksmith9177]

@@susannadanner906 it’s Maori

[@theomccann8047]

I died at "And they choose a male for reasons unknown to science."

[@RiffZifnab]

That's how I feel when a woman agrees to a date with me. [dead]

[@jek__]

*one male, not a male, very different meaning

[@mellow_mallow]

I think my favorite is the explanation of their breeding systems ending with him saying that males had to compete for females by sheer sexiness

[@piccinini12521]

@@jek__ yeah, Hank was very clear on his wording and people just don't get it.

[@comlitbeta7532]

Fun fact that is also why my wife chose me

[@Judymontel]

This video added a whole new anxiety to my life I didn't realize I needed. As a violin teacher with a large number of student instruments on hand to rent out, I'm going to start being extra vigilant for stoats and cats being attracted to my musty smelling cases. I mean - I hadn't noticed the musty smell myself, but maybe it's there and I just got used to it! Aaccck!

[@nobodysbaby5048]

Scares away rapists, too. 😆

[@mimisezlol]

as a violinist, I think they're talking about that smell of like, rosin and old wood and such that hits you when you open an older violin case. which is a nice smell, so now I love kakapos more than I already did.

[@Judymontel]

@@mimisezlol I know, but aren't you worried about all the predators he mentioned who are also attracted to the scent? Are our instruments in danger? (I guess if we get them out often, we're safe... 😅)

[@mimisezlol]

@@Judymontel if a cat shows up and discovers that the smell only leads to a weird shaped wooden box, they won't associate the smell with food anymore, just betrayal. How dare we open our violin cases and not have food inside. This is a major crime.

[@Judymontel]

@@mimisezlol Thank you for the cat's perspective. It is such a comfort. (And a good point for ferrets and stoats as well!) 😊

[@Tundra-ec3ii]

It’s freaking running a rodent OS on bird hardware.

[@gigawebsurfer]

We also had the largest eagle - the haast eagle that used to prey on the Moa, it is said they could pick up and fly away with small children. They went extinct when the Moa did.

[@Tzo19996]

Thank you for actually posting sources, its infuriating how so many channels with great educational content don't do this

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

(Australia and New Zealand could pretty much monopolize this channel.)

[@Vaati1992]

Gotta love those rotund weirdos and their heartbeats in the night mating calls ^^

[@spectator3272]

That booming sound is so subtle on my phone. I can barely sense its presence through vibration on my hands, landing completely deaf on my ears.

[@atheryne]

is it weird that I know EXACTLY what "musty violin case" smells like?

[@MrAranton]

Depends. Do you play the violin? If so, not that weird. If you don't - yeah; let's leave it at that.

[@bluewolf783]

@@MrAranton lol

[@atheryne]

@@MrAranton I don't, lol.

[@mellow_mallow]

Same, as soon as he said it I was catapulted right back to eighth grade orchestra classes

[@officersoulknight6321]

No, it’s really not.

[@drewsin86]

I wish I could just buy a school's worth of pins and make this a monthly thing in schools. children should get these and have fun watching this channel. every child with their favorite animal pin waiting to hear about the next beast. thank you hank green you're just one of many heroes I hope to live up to the standards you set as a person. be awesome.

[@yanikore]

"Maybe there's still hope for the fattest of parrots" thank you, Hank, for summing it neatly

[@yuvalne]

Now I'm proud to have watched Bizarre Beasts Year I because I know what lecking is!

[@sohopedeco]

Hank: "Their unusual breeding system: they lek!" Me: "How the hell they reproduce if they lack a breeding system???"

[@firstcynic92]

5:15. I notice that the original range of the kakapo is almost completely outside that of the Hass eagle, which only went extinct 200 years ago. That was the largest predator on South Island, pretty well limited to the east & north sides.

[@xandrewvondiue522]

Their dance is precious

[@pvtpain66k]

DO the Kea next! Nobody expects 2 New Zealand parrots!

[@michaelzaloziecki911]

And another cool fact about the Kakapo: Douglas Adams wrote a full chapter about them :)

[@garethtudor836]

His description of their escape strategy is simultaneously hilarious and tragic

[@EmjiAmsdaughter]

In which book?

[@michaelzaloziecki911]

@@EmjiAmsdaughter last chance to see

[@EmjiAmsdaughter]

@@michaelzaloziecki911 Thanks!

[@cheshiregrinn9847]

Thank the spirits 2021 starts out with Hank + Bizarre Beasts. Hanks the man and I want him to narrate everything.

[@stphnmrrs3982]

4:55 I want that as a cologne. Kākāpō by Kiwi Klein

[@Avohaj]

Ironically, in Cologne, Kakapo means something you don't want to smell like.

[@bloosekloose5481]

I got so emotional when he said that their numbers were increasing I'm so happy for them

[@DonnaSnyder]

Best wishes to you and your brother and all your family for happiness and health in 2021.

[@Twisterfoot]

absolutely one of my favorite birds. they’re such delightfully weird little creatures

[@Ninjaananas]

They are so cute.

[@brookeann9216]

I canNOT properly express how gosh-danged excited I am to get my pin!!!

[@SleepyKyju]

Fun fact! Parrots are often strongly scented, at least in a way we can smell. That's an observation I've made anyway. My jardine's parrot just passed away in a freak accident last weekend, but she smelled amazing. It's like a musty-sweet smell bird parents all love. My blue and gold macaw, Merlin, smells the best of all my birds. I love giving him a big obnoxious sniff and then dramatically going "AHH, I love the smell of boy in the morning" while he stands there like ??? But the best smelling parrot I've ever encountered in my time working in rescue are blue headed pionus. Dude it's literally like they're wearing a mild, sweet but still faintly musty perfume. I'm don't do perfumes but I'd wear it. She smells incredible and she can be smelled a few feet, not just point blank like almost every other parrot.

[@caiol.4228]

This channel is so good and has a great future. Really glad to be here this early

[@arthurmartin4616]

Such goofy looking animals. Love it.

[@jeka8826]

I feel like you learned about acorns going crazy this year at John's house and that took you down a rabbit hole. And I love it.

[@brendakrieger7000]

Adorable💚💛💜

[@briansquibb999]

The cutest "beast" yet! Thank you for the great work!

[@TheMdduran]

Smell like a musty violin case? That's the first time scientists describe an animal smell as something I've had experience with.

[@mayaenglish5424]

5:36 That's so damn cute. I know we shouldn't save things based on cuteness alone and should value them for their own sake (and I do), but just this once can we all agree to not mess this one up and save these adorable weird chubby parrots? Please and Thank you.

[@TitaniumSeraph]

This bird is so weird and cute. Thanks for sharing! Your background is rad btw.

[@cass8353]

finally kakapo getting the attention they deserve

[@margaretdonovan1649]

I love kakapos so much! They make me smile.

[@jordansjournal1324]

I literally went to the info tab because I kept seeing all of your pins and wanted to see if they were in your shop, and then, SURPRISE MYSTERY PIN GRAB BAGS, my only weakness

[@kattou1552]

Nocturnal, stinky weirdo was my nickname in high school.

[@imogenwagstaff7053]

LITTLE PENGUINS!!!! Honestly my favourite animal on earth right now

[@sertaki]

I love those chunky bords so much.

[@bobby-mccool]

Theyre like, a gopher plus a bird plus like, a butt ton of moss lmao

[@tertain4795]

Okay, but now you have to look at the Kea. They’re ALSO just as bizarre as Kea. They’re the ONLY alpine parrot and there are a lot of reports, AND PICTURES, of them sitting on the backs of sheep and EATING THEM? They’re also super super smart, and super super mischievous.

[@alliebean3235]

i mean, to be fair, kea try to eat/open/get inside/destroy anything and everything; them tryna get inside a sheep doesn't surprise me

[@tertain4795]

@@alliebean3235 EXACTLY!! They’re so cool!

[@exmachinz]

For the future, you should know that Maori nouns are the same for both singular and plural, like sheep. So 1 Kakapo, 2 Kakapo

[@kaleoariola]

They are about the coolest and most adorable birds ever!

[@hiropon2985]

NZ is so wild and gorgeous and bizarre and in my humble opinion has the funniest people on earth.

[@David_T]

2:55 Ladies love it when you drop that bass.

[@mel0dicHarp]

I adore kakapos

[@Purupuss22]

Congratulations on a decent attempt at saying the Māori words. Some overseas commentators make a real hash of it.

[@LupeFenrir]

Wow! If I had a nickel for every time I was caught of guard by the English language randomly incorporating Swedish words, I'd have three nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened thrice. Right? Lek in Swedish means unstructured play, as in by children. So the birds are said to be playing with each other.

[@thesfnz3104]

yes "playing"

[@Schmerb]

It also catches me offguard, when German words (except the usual ones) are used in a scientific context. It never stops being funny to me, even tho it's really common in some fields

[@nonaeubinis7891]

Smells like a musty violin case? I am sold!

[@itgetsworse4667]

These are cute lil skrunkly creatures and are now my favorite bird! Thank you for telling me about them :>

[@heatheredwards2982]

So adorable 😍

[@tkpease]

Hooray! Kakapos getting the love they deserve at last!

[@CargodHera]

These little guys are so cute!!

[@MDondy]

Thank you for covering my favourite bird species, they need so much awareness

[@RatedX29]

I love them

[@Ford_prefect_42]

Kakapo are my favorite animals 😭 thanks for making this

[@Nokus416]

Okay, but that "booming" was definitely just a light saber and you can't tell me otherwise

[@tbella5186]

I see Hank, and you have my full attention!

[@genericembarrassingusernam7843]

Hank being confused is... Adorable

[@ilovebats10]

Musty violin case is such a specific scent description that my brain cannot compute

[@wildlifewarrior2670]

I love convergent evolution it's so fascinating

[@rebekahbridges-tervydis5054]

I knew this was Hank before I saw his cute face. And, love the background!

[@speedmachine69]

I was in a back country hut in the middle of the South Island and one cruised out of the bush in broad daylight, mooched around the hut for a while and sauntered off back into the tussock. Quite the lucky sighting

[@nikiTricoteuse]

Thats really cool. I'm super jealous. Pretty sure there's not many kiwi who have seen one.

[@CL-go2ji]

I´m guessing you should REPORT THAT to the breeding programm ... you may have seen one who has no name (and no protection).

[@speedmachine69]

@@CL-go2ji it had plenty of tags on….. was tame as so well used to humans. Pretty awesome to see however!

[@CL-go2ji]

Okay - then it was just really cool! Congratulations.@@speedmachine69

[@KAZVorpal]

Hold on, humans have given a name to every single member of another species, that numbers in the billions.

[@foolonthehill16807]

I'm a luthier and the "musty violin case" description is...upsettingly evocative

[@MagiciteHeart]

Kakapos trigger my cuteness aggression on a scale priorly unimaginable. Wanna squeesh dat chonky birb.

[@napatora]

woah the booming sounds a lot like a bass

[@Amanda-zn7ox]

If I'm not mistaken, the kakapo is the bird used as Twitch's RareParrot and PartyParrot emotes. I absolutely adore both, especially PartyParrot. Keep these little meme birbs alive!

[@JoaoPessoa86]

Musty violin case is oddly specific

[@L00PdeL00P]

“Yaeh maet that buehd smellin loik a mustey vaiolin case” LMAOO THAT IS THE MOST PRECISE AND QUANTIFIABLE DESCRIPTION I HAVE EVER HEARD

[@weirdredpanda]

When he said smell, I was thinking something awful, like skunks. But a musty smell wouldn't be all that bad. Also, the kakapos are cute when doing that little "dance" and their fuzzy faces are cuter than the average parrot.

[@SuperNerdKid]

When I was about 9 or 10 I made a kakapo costume for my doll out of an inside-out Dixie paper cup and Crayola markers. What.

[@completelyrandom8671]

Belated congratulations for winning bird of the year.

[@jasonremy1627]

I learned about 5 new words in the past 10 minutes.

[@demolisherman1763]

Oh man kakapo are adorable

[@joyrampino8811]

They're are so cute 😍🥰

[@icequeen917]

They almost look like feathery groundhogs! Adorable!

[@doppy8682]

"...As you do I guess" is now the newest addition to my vocabulary

[@coltonalbright7544]

They're literally honking thick boys. 🤣🤣🤣

[@hannahgarcia2512]

You should add a sticker option in addition to the pin club I would love to put them on a laptop

[@silliepixie]

I would join the club if it was stickers!

[@markwuahlbuargg4780]

New Zeeland is straight up like another planet, the animals there are so bizarre.

[@isaacthomas4166]

Kakapo are my favorite BIRDS of all!

[@janiekilkelly]

We in NZ are very proud to provide home for a gazillion wee weird flightless beasties!!!!

[@MoaRider]

0:35 Always been a fan of Moa's. Wish they were still around. Yep...

[@flamencoprof]

As a NZer, I say "Well done!" regarding this presentation. I have seen so many items on NZ that are just plain wrong or confused or get the wrong tone or angle. This is all facts, a light touch, no mocking, just excellent. Thanks!

[@HarryBookGnome]

My pin came in the mail today and I got the uncommon one, they are SO CUTE!

[@Emilaria]

It looks like a Dr Seuss character

[@xINVISIGOTHx]

I was playing World of Warcraft Dragonflight the other day and i was standing in some random place with some old buildings and a railing on top of a mountain, and i saw a little green bird on the railing. I got closer to it and saw it was called Kakapo. I thought that was really cool and cute. I wanted to tame it as my pet, but I couldn't. So i killed it.

[@SophiaAstatine]

You monster

[@OwlishFun]

I genuinely miss New Zealand birds since moving to Canada

[@MRptwrench]

I'm sticking with my theory that NZ is where Pokémon come from. The Kakapo! Even it's name sounds like a Pokémon!