The Flightless Bird of New Caledonia | South Pacific | BBC Earth

New Guinea is a vast island nestled close to the continental landmass of Australia. As we move south and east to smaller more distant islands, the wildlife becomes even more unusual. The little-known island of New Caledonia is a small sliver of Australia that was cast adrift over 60 million years ago. It's home to a creature that seems to have evolved quite strangely. It has wings but it can't fly. It is the cagou. Cagou families stick together with young from previous years helping to declare the family territory. All intruders are chased away. It's the breeding season when males rekindle the flame with their lifelong partners. It's hard to know what the cagou is related to. A heron, a rail or maybe a pigeon. Its closest relative may actually be the sunbittern of South America, 11,000 kilometers to the east. She may not seem too impressed but then cagous always keep their feet very firmly on the ground.