What unique distinction does the kākāpō hold among parrot species globally regarding locomotion?
Answer
It stands alone as the world's only flightless parrot species.
The kākāpō possesses a highly unusual trait for its order, Psittaciformes, by being entirely incapable of flight. This characteristic is extremely rare across the entire class Aves and unique among parrots. This flightlessness is an evolutionary adaptation linked to its native habitat, New Zealand, which historically lacked terrestrial mammalian predators for millions of years. The lack of pressure to escape ground-based threats allowed resources to be allocated to developing a heavier body mass and specialized ground-dwelling adaptations instead of flight mechanics. This lack of flight is often the most confusing element for observers expecting typical avian behavior.
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