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How to Draw a Kakapo

12 steps · Medium · about 9 min

Draw a kakapo in 12 easy steps, about 9 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.

Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: the head.

Step 1: The head
Near the top left of your paper draw a big round head, a little wider than tall.
Tip Leave room on the right and underneath for the big body.
Step 2: Small hooked beak
On the front of the head, just above the middle, draw a small beak that curves down to a sharp hook.
Step 3: Eye and face disc
Behind the beak draw a big round eye. Curve a line from the forehead over the eye to the chin.
Tip The disc is like a bowl holding the eye and beak.
Step 4: Plump body
Start low on the back of the head. Curve down and back, round a huge belly, stop under the beak.
Tip The body is a huge plump egg hanging under the head.
Step 5: Short drooping tail
Start low on the back of the body. Draw a short stubby fan tail down and back to the tummy.
Step 6: Tiny stubby wing
On the side of the body under the head draw a tiny teardrop wing, no bigger than the eye.
Tip Kakapos cannot fly, so the wing is just a stub.
Step 7: Front leg and toes
Under the front of the tummy draw a short thick leg with 3 round toes. Start and stop on the tummy.
Step 8: Back leg and toes
A hand further back draw the other leg and toes the same way, starting and stopping on the tummy line.
Step 9: Ground and grass
Start at the left edge. Draw a long ground line under the toes across to the right edge. Add grass.
Step 10: Sand face, grey legs
Colour the face disc soft sand, leaving the eye white. Colour both legs and their toes grey.
Step 11: Leaf-green wing and tail
Colour the tiny wing and the drooping tail a light leaf green.
Step 12: Green kakapo, slate beak
Colour the head and the big body moss green, around the face and wing. Colour the beak dark slate.