Known as the ‘clown of the forest’, the North Island kākā is a large forest parrot that is distributed throughout the North Island. It is a relative of the kea, the South Island alpine parrot. People often hear the loud screeching noises of the kākā before they see them. They feed on flowers, nectar, sap, and invertebrates living under tree bark. Kākā nest in tree hollows, which makes nesting females especially prone to predation from mustelids and possums.

(Information adapted from New Zealand Birds Online)