KAKAPO PARROTS - Kakapo chicks ready to leave home

Excellent news from New Zealand's STUFF about the four surviving Kakapo chicks from this year's successful breeding.

Nelson's rarest chicks have become awkward teenagers, and it won't be long before they are kicked out of home.

Four kakapo chicks are being handraised at a rented house in a secret location in Nelson. Five were taken from their home near Stewart Island in April after failing to put on weight in the wild.

Department of Conservation kakapo technical officer Daryl Eason said although one had died the remaining chicks were thriving.

Mr Eason said the parrots, now boasting a lot of their adult plumage, had moved from a bedroom in the house to a pen in the basement.

The oldest chick was three months and the parrots loved living together, he said.

'They get quite playful, they jump on each other and play fight.'

The chicks were clumsily developing their climbing skills on branches in their nest.

And if you're in the area and want to get a look at the chicks before they get whisked back to Codfish Island on June 20th...

The Nelson public will have the chance to see the birds before they head back to the wild.

DOC kakapo team scientist Dr Ron Moorhouse said the birds would be on display in Victory Room of the Trafalgar Centre between 9.30am to 4pm on Saturday June 18.

"They will be in a glass enclosure which will give them protection but also enable people to get a good look at them."

It was the first time kakapo chicks had been put on public view, he said.