A prehistoric New Zealand bird thought to be extinct in 1898 (but found again in the middle of the 20th century) is doing its best to avoid going the way of the dodo — with lobbying from some tribal leaders who value the bird’s presence. 1he Guardian recently reported on the return of the Takahē, a large, flightless bird that thrives in grasslands. They are colorful creatures, standing at a little over 1.5 feet tall, with a unique song.

It’s a bird.