The kākāpō is a unique and fascinating bird native to New Zealand that has captured the hearts of many. This flightless and nocturnal bird is the world’s heaviest parrot and has fragrant moss-green feathers, an odd whiskery face, and a long lifespan of up to 90 years. A recent study has revealed some interesting information about the gut microbiome of these birds. It turns out that the gut of the kākāpō is made almost entirely of the bacterium Escherichia coli. The study aimed to explore the impact of current conservation practices on the development of the kākāpō gut microbiome, particularly the regular removal of fecal material from nests during the breeding season. The results showed that removing fecal material did not alter the bacterial composition, but it was found that chicks provided with supplemental feed in hand-rearing facilities hosted significant abundances of a bacterium called Lactobacillus gasseri. The study also revealed that the bacterial diversity of the chick gastrointestinal tract decreases with age, resulting in a unique shift in taxonomy towards Proteobacteria dominance, particularly Escherichia-Shigella bacteria. These findings are important for the ongoing conservation efforts of the critically endangered kākāpō and will aid future research in this field.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-022-00204-w