Rare footage of the kakapo mating ritual

By Australian Geographic February 10, 2020
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Watch the mating ritual of the critically-endangered kakapo play out in full.

The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), a critically-endangered New Zealand ground parrot creates an ultrasonic “booming” sound to attract its mate.

You’ll probably recall this hilarious moment when a kakapo attempted to mate with a cameraman:

But this is how a real mating ritual goes down.

Footage courtesy of Australian Geographic’s sister company Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ).