KOKOTKA PRACHOVSKÁ - JEDNONOHÁ

Cocotcus pulvissaxum - Unus pedibus

Class - Marsupial birds (Sacculum aves)

Genus - Fowl (Gallus)

Family - Phasianidae, One-legged (Phasianidae, Unus pedibus)

Weight :

Cock 900 g

Hen 800 g

Egg 50 g - cream-coloured

Nocturnal aktivity

A one-legged flying hen, Kokotka prachovská, now one of the endangered species, used roam freely around the Prachov Rocks as one of the ordinary inhabitants. However, her common occurrence came to an end in the second half of the twentieth century. This deportation was caused by the outcome of her eating habits. Her diet consists of pine needles, forest honey, wild berries, poppy seeds, leftovers abandoned by ill-mannered tourists and most importantly - sand grains. Indulging in the tasty sandstones, the vast amount of nestling pairs became an imminent threat to the rock formations and required an immediate response. A capture and a following transportation was ordered by the park administration. Unfortunately, nobody took into account the dependence the hens have on sand in their diet and the lack of this substance in their new home, which resulted in a mass extinction. It was sheer luck that some of the Kokotkas were able to escape the capture and remained in their natural habitat. On average, Kokotkas live around 50 years, but they don't reach sexual maturity until they attain the age of 30, according to local ornithologists. They mate for life and the bond between the two partners is so strong, that after losing their mate, they grieve themselves to death. The hens lay only one egg at a time and instead of building a nest, they place it directly on the solid ground, the specific location usually being the top of a rock. The clutch is regular, but quite rare as it occurs only in the first week of May and only during the leap year. The reasoning for this peculiarity still remains a mystery. Both the hen and the cock are present during the clutch and together they attempt to place the egg into a little pouch placed under the hen's right wing. The chick doesn't leave the pouch until it's fully feathered and capable of flying. If they can't properly place the egg into the pouch for whatever reason, the hen and the cock both leave the place, screaming loudly. The sound of this screaming (hens - "kow kow", cocks - "caw") is most likely the inspiration behind the name Kokotka. As the clutch is approaching, volunteers from the local mountaineering association are patiently waiting to hear the screaming, that helps them locate the abandoned eggs, which are later transported into artificial incubators. The incubation period takes three weeks. Immediately after hatching the chicks receive leather masks that cover their faces, since the look at a human would strip them of their natural shyness. When fully feathered a capable of flying, the offspring are released back into the wild. This process takes approximately six weeks. A very unique phenomenon occurs when the egg is successfully placed into the pouch. With the weight of the egg under her right wing disturbing her balance, the hen ends up flying in circles only. However fascinating that may be, it also makes them an easy target for raptors and poachers, who seek their meat for its delicious taste. On the other hand, it enables ornithologists to monitor them more effectively. After leaving the pouch, chicks need some time to become accustomed to flying in different directions. At first they also fly head down, their only leg protruding up.

Dr. Bohuslav Kámils (*1883 †1950) a passionate ornithologist from Vysoké Veselí, who had been focusing on this species since his early childhood, kept detailed records of the Kokotkas inhabiting the Prachov Rocks. Besides rich illustrations, his diary includes a mention of a private meeting with a respected German professor Carl Gegenbaur(*21.8.1826 †14.6.1903) that took place in the summer of 1902 during the first national wild bird exhibition in Blovice near Pilsen. Gegenbaur mentioned Kokotkas in his 1859 publication titled Grundzüge der vergleichenden Anatomie (The basics of comparative anatomy). Based on reliable information from local farmers, he states, that two Kokotkas were spotted in several locations in the Italian Dolomites during the spring of 1851. In September of the same year, a dead cock was found near Santa Maddalena, a small town in South Tyrol. Another mention came a few years later from a scientific journal Jonge Ornitholoog, which reported a discovery of a one-legged cock in Kockhengen, a small village near a district town Utrecht in the Netherlands. However, after careful examination, the vet labelled the bird as crested chicken, a common Dutch species. His missing leg was probably a result of a collision with the local train. No other mentions of Kokotkas have been discovered in any scientific literature. Unfortunately, Dr. Bohuslav Kámils has yet to receive the recognition he deserves for his research. This lack of appreciation is caused by his eccentric lifestyle and his alcohol addiction. His frequent drunken shenanigans included jumping on one leg while imitating the sounds Kokotkas after a failed attempt to place an egg into the hen's pouch. The fact that all of this was usually happening near kids' playgrounds wasn't exactly helping to improve his reputation. The then secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, George Mlčoch, requested the placement of Dr.Kámils into a psychiatric ward in Havlíčkův Brod. The ornithologist spent a total of 9 moths in there and voluntarily underwent the electroconvulsive therapy. Unfortunately, in the autumn of 1950, shortly after his release, he tragically died while trying to abseil down the Hlahol lookout where he was most likely trying to collect eggs. His diary was found years later in one of the rock crevices near the mentioned lookout. Sadly, its condition was far from pristine and the text was often illegible, therefore it has little to no academic value. There has been only one captive breeding attempt so far. RNDr. Blahoslav Kámils, Ph.D. (* 1957), the great-grandson of Dr.Kámils and the then administrator of the Jičín Palace, tried to do so in 2011. He keeps the legacy of his great-grandfather alive with his dedicated observation of this now almost extinct species. Unfortunately, after indulging in some heavy liquor, he fell on the hen and crippled her. The cock, terrified by his mate's new appearance, fled the scene. The heartbroken hen grieved herself to death shortly after that. The main reason for the lack of captive breeding attempts is probably the 30 year period before Kokotkas reach sexual maturity.

To save Kokotkas from extinction, a natural honey liqueur, made from the finest herbs and local ingredients, was created. The illustration on the label has been extracted from Dr. Bohuslav Kámils' personal diary.

A substantial sum of money from the sales of the liqueur is going to fund the newly-formed company which promises to build more sand feeders for the hens. With enough food provided, Kokotkas hopefully won´t snack on the rocks anymore.

We strongly encourage tourists not to panic at the sight of a chick lying leg up on the ground. Do not hesitate to turn it over and inform the park ranger. Please refrain from moving it to a different spot.

Thank you.

Made in cooperation with:

RNDr. Blahoslav Kámils, Ph.D. – ornithologist

Turistická chata Prachov

1. Jičínská likérka s.r.o.