 The kakapo was originally described by English ornithologist George Robert Gray in 1845 . The name " kakapo " is the English transliteration of " kākāpō " which is derived from the Māori terms kākā ( " parrot " ) + pō ( " night " ) . Its generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek strix , genitive strigos " owl " , and ops " face " , while its specific epithet comes from habros " soft " , and ptilon " feather " . It has so many unusual features that it was initially placed in its own tribe , Strigopini . Recent phylogenetic studies have confirmed the unique position of this genus as well as the closeness to the kākā and the kea , both belonging to the New Zealand parrot genus Nestor . Together , they are now considered a separate family within the parrots , Strigopidae . Within the Strigopidae , the kakapo is placed in its own tribe , Strigopini . The common ancestor of the kakapo and the genus Nestor became isolated from the remaining parrot species when New Zealand broke off from Gondwana , around 82 million years ago . Around 70 million years ago , the kakapo diverged from the genus Nestor . 
 The kakapo was originally described by English ornithologist George Robert Gray in 1845 . The name " kakapo " <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>the English transliteration of " kākāpō " which is derived from the Māori terms kākā ( " parrot " ) + pō ( " night " ) . Its generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek strix , genitive strigos " owl " , and ops " face " , while its specific epithet <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>comes</mark></a> from habros " soft " , and ptilon " feather " . It <a href='got' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> so many unusual features that it was initially placed in its own tribe , Strigopini . Recent phylogenetic studies <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>have</mark></a> confirmed the unique position of this genus as well as the closeness to the kākā and the kea , both belonging to the New Zealand parrot genus Nestor . Together , they are now considered a separate family within the parrots , Strigopidae . Within the Strigopidae , the kakapo is placed in its own tribe , Strigopini . The common ancestor of the kakapo and the genus Nestor became isolated from the remaining parrot species when New Zealand<a href='been_done' title='5'><mark></mark></a> broke off from Gondwana , around 82 million years ago . Around 70 million years ago , the kakapo<a href='been_done' title='6'><mark></mark></a> diverged from the genus Nestor . 
Da kakapo was originally described by English ornithologist George Robert Gray in 1845 . The name " kakapo " the English transliteration of " kākāpō " which is derived from tdaMāori terms kākā ( " parrot " ) + pō ( " night " ) . Its generic name is derived from thdancient Greek strix , genitive strigos " owl " , and ops " face " , while its specific epithet come from habros " soft " , and ptilon " feather " . It got soo many unusual features that it was initially placed in its own tribe , Strigopini . Recent phylogenetic studies done confirmed the unique position of this genus as well as the closeness to the kākā and thedaa , both belonging to the New Zealand parrot genus Nestor . Together , they are now considered a separate family within the parrots , Strigopidae . Within the daigopidae , the kakapo is placed in its own tribe , Strigopini . The common ancestor of the kakapo and the gdas Nestor became isolated from the remaining parrot species when New Zealand done broke offf from Gondwana , around 82 million years ago . Around 70 million years ago , the kakapo done diverged from the genus Nestor .