These photos of the kaka chicks we have been following, have been taken at 2 weekly intervals and we estimate they are about 8 weeks old now. Fledging takes 10 weeks so sometime over the Christmas / New Year period they will leave the safety of their hole in a tree and move about a mixture of the ground and lower tree branches. They do this while they strengthen their wings and practice flying. The kaka parents will be close by as they stay as a family group for a year or more.
They are now extremely vulnerable to predators like stoats, cats and rats so it will be a good test for our pest control. Fingers crossed for their well being!!