Takahe

Takahe are 'strange and wonderful avian beasts', big purple-blue birds with a striking red beak and legs. Once thought extinct, they were famously rediscovered in 1946 by Invercargill doctor Geoffrey Orbell, who found a small population living in a remote valley in the Murchison Mountains of Fiordland.

In this book, Alison Ballance charts the history of the Takahe Recovery Programme, the longest-running species conservation programme in New Zealand, and perhaps even in the world. After many setbacks and decades of struggle by those dedicated to saving the bird, they have recently managed to build up a healthy population, which is expected to exceed 500 birds by 2023.

Full of fascinating stories about the biology and lifestyle of this delightful bird, summed up as 'a food-obsessed, serially monogamous (mostly) devoted partner and parent, whose teenage kids stick around to help raise their younger siblings', this beautifully illustrated and inspiring book will appeal to anyone with an interest in ornithology and the natural world of New Zealand.