Scientific name:
Rhynochaetos jubatus

Natural spread:
New Caledonia

in very particular bird is the 51 to 55 cm from New Caledonia's move-wet mountain-forests big Kagu. its systematic in-order prepares it zoologist some difficulties, however, it shows similarities with herons, cranes and Rallen how the names "Rallenreiher" or "Rallenkranich" attest. Usually, the Kagu is put into an independent family of the crane-birds.

Shape As anatomical peculiarity, the nose-holes have horn-roofs at the basis of the long, pointed beak so that no earth can penetrate into the breath-openings when drilling and poking in moist forest-ground (after worms, insects and their larvae). The red beak and the also red legs rise uniformly well from it, plumages light-dawn from. Only the tail and the Handschwingen are drawn black-and-white. A long feather-mop of hair, whose bent feathers fall until on the back, stands on the head. With it perform courtship display is raised this bonnet impressively. Through strong secretions of the Puderdunen, the entire plumage seems "collected dust" weak.

Way of life The primarily twilight-active Kagus are unairworthy, its wings use it perform courtship display (from November to April) only during it, in that umschreiten it each other with at the side downward extended wings and steeply raised head-bonnet, itself steeply before each other, in order to begin thereupon the "dance" anew, high-stretches. During the Balzzeremonien both sexes, that are not of each other distinguishable externally, let its deep, far-to resounding and almost melodious reputations, after which Kagus got its onomatopoeic name, especially frequently heard.

Reproduction Both brood-partners will base the nest on the ground from branch; the Nistmulde is from-dressed with foliage. The single egg heavy about 70 g becomes approximately 36 days of erbrütet from both alto-birds, until that bedunte boy slips brownish-yellow.

Endangering In New Caledonia, the continuance of these unairworthy, interesting birds is threatened very strong through the dogs introduced by Europeans, cats and rats as well as through the onward destruction of the habitat.