New Zealand Kaka
Nestor meridionalis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPsittaciformes (Parrots)
- FamilyPsittacidae (New World and African Parrots)
- GenusNestor (Kaka and Kea)
- SpeciesNestor meridionalis (New Zealand Kaka)
The New Zealand kākā (Nestor meridionalis) is a large species of parrot of the family Strigopidae found in native forests of New Zealand. The species is often known by the abbreviated name kākā, although it shares this name with the Norfolk kākā and Chatham kākā, both recently extinct. Two subspecies of New Zealand kākā are recognised. It is endangered and has disappeared from much of its former range, though the re-introduction of North Island kākā at Zealandia in Wellington has led to an increasing population of the birds across the city. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Kaka sighting in Tongariro National Park, based on 61 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Tongariro National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Tongariro National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 6 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a New Zealand Kaka in Tongariro National Park?
About 17% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Kaka sighting in Tongariro National Park, based on 61 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see New Zealand Kaka in Tongariro National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for New Zealand Kaka in Tongariro National Park in our monthly data.