THE KAGU

Range:

New Caledonia in the South Pacific

Habitat:

Tropical and dry forests

With its pearl gray feathers, bright orange legs and bill, head crest like a cockatoo’s, and bold stripes on its wingtips, the kagu has a most unusual look for a bird that lives on the ground. This rare, flightless bird is from the forests of New Caledonia’s main island, in the South Pacific. About the size of a chicken, the kagu lives in rain forests as well as drier forests. It has specialized feathers called powder downs; these feathers make a powder that cleans and waterproofs the kagu in its wet habitat. Although it is similar to herons and egrets, it has no known close relatives.

When making their home, kagus choose a place on the ground that is naturally sheltered by rocks, but they can also live under tree roots or in holes in dirt banks. Kagus perch on low-hanging branches or tree trunks, although they also use vines, raised roots, or rocks for resting places