The Kagu (Rhynochetidae) is a forest and shrub land habitat bird that forages in the soil for small prey like larvae,spiders,centipedes,lizards as food by digging in the soil with their beaks.The unique rolled flaps or corn covers the nostril and prevents the soil particles entering their nostrils.

Let's see...

1. Ant - Formicidae

2. Anteater - Vermilingua

3. Bear - Ursidae

4. Boar - Suidae

5. Cat - Felidae

6. Cow - Bovidae

7. Dolphin - Delphinidae

8. Dust mite - Pyroglyphidae

9. Elephant - Elphantidae

10. Electric eel - Gymnotidae

11. Fruit bat - Pteropodilae

12. Flying fish - Exocoetidae

13. Goat - Bovidae

14. Giant tortoise - Testudinidae

15. Hippopotamus - Hippopotamidae

16. Hammerhead Shark - Sphyrnidae

17. Iberian Barbel - Cyprinidae

18. Indri - Indriidae

19. Japanese beetle - Scarabaeidae

20. Jerboa - Dipodidae

21. Kagu - Rhynochetidae

22. Kit Fox - Canidae

23. Leopard - Felidae

24. Ladybird - Coccinellidae

25. Mallard - Anatidae

26. Mandrill - Cercopithecidae

27. Naked mole rat - Bathyergidae

28. Needle fish - Belonidae

29. Ocelot - Felidae

30. Orangutan - Hominidae

31. Pangolin - Manidae

32. Pardridge - Phasianidae

33. Quahog - Veneridae

34. Quoll - Dasyuridae

35. Rabbit - Leporidae

36. Raccoon - Procyonidae

37. Skunk - Mephitidae

38. Seahorse - Syngnathidae

39. Tapir - tapiridae

40. Tamarin - Callitrichidae

41. Ulusses butterfly - Papilionidae

42. Umbrette - Scopidae

43. Vampire bat - Phyllostomidae

44. Verdin - Remizidae

45. Walrus - Odobenidae

46. Weasel - Mustelidae

47. Xanclomys - Neoplagiaulacidae

48. Xenops - Furnariidae

49. Yorkshire terrier - Canidae

50. Zebra - Equidae

Phew! Hope that helped lol xxx

The Kagu is a nearly flightless bird which lives in New Caledonia. There are several reasons to consider it important.

While virtually every living thing may be said to be important to the Earth, the Kagu has a number of rare or unique characteristics that make it a species of particular interest or, one could say, greater importance.

If one feature stands out, it may be the physiology. In particular, it has a peculiarly high concentration of hemoglobin in its red blood cells. With three times the normal hemoglobin concentration it has also one third the number of red blood cells that are typical in birds. (One immediately wonders what the cause of this extra hemoglobin might be and whether understanding that cause could have medical consequences. Millions of people suffering from respiratory problems would be effectively cured if the blood were able to carry more oxygen.)

It is in danger of extinction. In this case, it is not only the extinction of a species but it is also the only surviving example of the family Rhynochetidae. There is limited fossil record of a few similar species.

Being a species, or at earlier times a few closely related species, that are located on the islands of new Caledonia, they provide and example an evolutionary process where speciation was driven by geography. There are several factors related to this that are important topics of biological study. The most famous example is seen in "Darwin's finches" which were a key factor in Darwin's development of the theory of evolution.

As a ground dwelling carnivorous bird, it is somewhat unusual since most birds are vegetarians. It has a few other evolutionary features of interest with the "nasal corns" covering its nostrils being unique.

It is important to the Kanak tribes of New Caledonia. It has been incorporated into tribal beliefs and customs.

If the very small and endangered population of Kagu suffer extinction, we will lose a bird species with numerous unusual characteristics, (physical, behavioral and evolutionary) and thereby lose the opportunity to study the bird and learn from it.