The giant flightless swamphen - NZ's Takahe (film)

[David Rees <>]

Once thought extinct but rediscovered in 1948, this 'older-worldly' bird can now be seen at liberty on a number of offshore islands as insurance populations were established just in case something bad happened to the last remaining original wild one. The birds here were filmed on sanctuary islands off the North Island of NZ.

see  https://vimeo.com/245480216

For some background reading on a rainy weekend there is an nice multimedia piece on its rediscovery at:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/201817903/takahe-back-from-the-brink  Scroll down to the bottom of this article and you will find a link to a wonderful period black and white newsreel film from NZ archives taken in 1949 of its rediscovery, including what are probably the first motion pictures taken of this bird, then called the Notornis, a name that has fortunately dropped out of use in favour of the Maori one.   

  

Current info on this bird can be accessed via http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/takahe/

Enjoy

David