Fascinated children and adults watch as two ungainly - and surprisingly large - kakapo chicks walk unsteadily across the floor of their enclosure.
The birds are headed towards two of their favourite treats, cabbage and rotten tree branch.
There is more laughter as one falls over the other.
"What does kakapo poo look like?'' one boy asks.
A Department of Conservation (Doc) ranger supplies the answer: "Large and rather smelly''.
The chicks are among 10 aged 6 weeks to 2 months being cared for night and day by rangers at a newly completed facility in Invercargill.
Kakapo are critically endangered, with only 123 adults left in the world.
Almost all live on two islands, one in Foveaux Strait and the other in Fiordland.
For many years, Doc staff have removed vulnerable chicks from their nests and reared them by hand in various locations, including a Doc shed in Invercargill.
The new facility - a vacant Invercargill City Council-owned office building - was refurbished by Department of Corrections community workers ready for its first arrivals a month ago, kakapo recovery team senior ranger Jo Ledington said.
Upstairs, the smallest chicks are kept warm in incubators, moving to cooler rooms as they grow.
Downstairs is the viewing enclosure and displays about the native parrots and the recovery programme.
This year has been a record breeding season with 46 eggs hatching.
As of this week, 36 chicks were still alive, Ms Ledington said.
Today's visitors were members of the children's Kiwi Conservation Club and their families.
Southland co-ordinator Bronwyn Graham the group was "very excited'' to be able to see live kakapo.
"The facility looks fantastic. What an amazing opportunity to showcase a national treasure.''
She was pleased the admission price had been kept affordable for families, she said.
Doc kakapo partnerships ranger Julie Futter said some rural schools had been invited to bring pupils to the facility before the chicks returned to their island homes between mid-May and mid-June.
The Invercargill council plans to build a $1.98million purpose-built kakapo chick and tuatara attraction at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, but the plans were put on hold when it became evident the building could not be finished in time for this year's kakapo breeding season.
Ms Futter said Doc still supported the proposal.
Rearing facility
• Temporary facility in Esk St, central Invercargill.
• Ten chicks being cared for by Department of Conservation rangers.
• Two or three older chicks on public display 10am-2pm on Saturdays and Sundays during May.
• Tickets $2 from the Invercargill i-Site, Southland Museum & Art Gallery, Gala St, Invercargill. Limited to 240 visitors per day.
• Proceeds to kakapo recovery programme.
