More than 350 people from around the world have booked to see the kakapo Sirocco, one of the world's rarest parrots, at the Ulva Island bird sanctuary, Stewart Island, over the next six weeks.
Kakapo Encounter project co-ordinator Jo Learmonth said the Ulva Island Charitable Trust hoped about 1000 people would take the opportunity to see Sirocco, one of just 86 of the native parrots remaining.
Kakapo enthusiasts from the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States and Australia had already booked.
