the takahe (porpyhyrio hochstetteri) is a large member of the rail family native to small, predator-free islands of new zealand. takahe are flightless, and are similar in coloration to the related pukeko but have a large, blocky beak and thicker legs. they feed mainly on grasses, shoots, and leaves, sometimes facing competition from red deer, which graze on these plants.
The South Island takahē, notornis, or takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri), is a flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand and belonging to the rail family. It was thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898. However, after a carefully planned search effort the bird was rediscovered near Lake Te Anau in the Murchison Mountains, South Island, on 20 November 1948.
today's bird 