USE OF SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING TO INDUCE BREEDING IN FREE-LIVING KAKAPOSTRIGOPS-HABROPTILUS IN NEW-ZEALAND

Nine female and 13 male kakapo Strigops habroptilus (Psittacidae) were transferred from Stewart Island and Fiordland (one male) to Little Ba rrier in 1982. During the following seven summers (1982-83 to 1988-89) there was no evidence that any bred. A programme of providing food su pplements to some kakapo was begun in September 1989 to induce breedin g. Six preferred foods (apple, kumara (sweet potato), and the kernels of almonds, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and walnuts) were eventually supplied ad libitum each night at up to 12 feeding stations. These foo ds were eaten least often by both sexes in summer, when male activity at track-and-bowl systems was at its peak and females were mating, lay ing or incubating. Females nested on Little Barrier Island for the fir st time in the summers of 1989-90 and 1990-91, though nesting success was low.