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!!