Kiwi Bird - New Zealand's National Bird Kiwi Bird Kiwi Bird New Zealand's National Bird The kiwi bird is national bird and pride of New Zealand. Kiwis are only found here in this country, which makes them very rare creatures. These flightless birds of the wild have little two inch wings that cannot lift them, with rough hair-like feathers. Just hatched they are very small creatures, and mature to almost the size of a chicken. Females have a slightly larger body than males. Although their usual home is in the native bush, kiwis have also made their home in native grasslands and scrub. Since these birds are semi-nocturnal and very secretive, very few New Zealanders have ever seen them in the wild. Kiwis also come from the long extinct moa family, a flightless a very large animal, now only found in museums. Regardless of its gawky appearance kiwis can in reality out run humans. Their slyness and sharp three toed feet have kept them from extinction for a long time. Using its outstanding sense of smell, this bird finds worms, insects and grubs for its dinner, supplemented by berries and seeds. The thumbnail leads to send a nature picture ecard.

Five types of kiwis are known, South Island brown, North Island brown, Karito brown, great spotted and little spotted. Their breeding time is from the ending of winter to the start of summer. Usually they nest in hollow logs or in natural holes. One or two eggs, which are ivory or greenish-white, form usually one nest. The kiwi has been recognized to be able to live up to twenty years. Before the arrival of Maori people , the kiwi didn’t have any predators. Even though the Maori treasured the feathers of the kiwi bird for their cloaks, the impact this made to the kiwi population was very insignificant. More significant for the duration of the last century, was the impact of the Europeans, possums, and motor vehicles. Europeans captured thousands for display in museums, zoos, and private collections. As well as the clearing of forest in many areas and the introduction of brush tailed possums . The ladder ones spread heavily with no predators and a menu that includes eggs and chicks. No wonder that the once safe national bird needs today protection.

Otherwise this flightless bird remains creative source for wall decorations like a kiwi bird painted by Robyn Forbes and other popular travel gifts like printed T-shirts or jewellery. Two great places to find examples online are Products from NZ and Shop NZ . The thumbnail leads to play an online jig saw puzzle. Motuora Recreation Reserve, an island in the Hauraki Gulf situated just before Auckland City , is a designated predator free sanctuary for the kiwi. In Northland captured kiwis are released to breed on this 80-hectar large island. When they are mature enough, to survive in the wild, they are returned to where they came from. About sixty kiwis populate the island. Apart of these night birds walking tracks, camp sites, batches, and beaches are destination for nature lovers. As long as there is still habitat for the remaining kiwis where they stay undisturbed, the population of the kiwi birds is assured. Kiwi Bird of New Zealand The Kiwi Bird New Zealand's Indigenous Flightless Bird The Kiwi bird, of the order Apterygiformes-Ratitae, occurs only in New Zealand. Although primarily a bird of New Zealands native forests, kiwis also live in scrub and native grasslands.

Because the kiwi is a semi-nocturnal, secretive bird, few New Zealanders have seen their national bird in the wild. The kiwi is the sole survivor of an ancient order of birds including the now extinct moas. A flightless bird about the size of a domestic fowl, the kiwi has coarse, bristly, hair-like feathers. Females are larger than males. Kiwis grow to about the size of a chicken and weigh between three and nine pounds. They have no tail and tiny two inch wings which for all practical purposes, are useless. Despite its awkward appearance, a kiwi can actually outrun a human and have managed to survive because of their alertness and their sharp, three-toed feet, which enable them to kick and slash an enemy. The kiwis long slender bill has nostrils at the lower end. Using its excellent sense of smell and flexible bill, the kiwi feeds on worms, insects and grubs, supplemented by leaves, berries and seeds. There are five kinds of kiwi in New Zealand - three closely related... Brown Kiwis, the Little Spotted Kiwi and the Great Spotted Kiwi... are pictured at the bottom of the page.

Custom Search The main breeding period is from late winter to summer. Nests may be in hollow logs, under tree roots, in natural holes or in burrows excavated mainly by the male. Most clutches contain one or two eggs. Eggs are smooth, and coloured ivory or greenish-white. Kiwi eggs are proportionately larger compared to the size of the adult female than the eggs of any other bird. An egg may reach one-quarter of its mothers weight. After the first egg is laid, the male takes over incubation and nest maintenance. Incubation takes about eleven weeks but if the female returns to lay another egg, the male has to sit on the clutch for a much longer time. Leaving the nest only occasionally, the males weight can decrease by up to one third. The young kiwi emerges wearing shaggy adult plumage. The young chick is not fed by the adult, but survives on a large reserve of yolk in its belly. Gaining strength, the chick remains in the nest for six to ten days. The young kiwi then leaves the burrow, and, accompanied by the male, begins to search for food. Kiwis have been known to live up to twenty years.

Before the coming of the Maori, the kiwi had no predators. Although the Maori valued kiwi feathers for making cloaks, the number of birds killed by Maoris was probably insignificant. During the latter part of last century, many thousands of kiwis were captured by Europeans for zoos, museums and private collections. Bush clearing, introduced predators, opossum traps and motor vehicles have all contributed to the reduction in the kiwi popula tion. However, the kiwi has fared markedly better than other flightless birds such as the Kakapo and Takahe. As long as suitable habitat is set aside, and the remaining kiwis are left undisturbed, the survival of this unique bird should be assured. The Kiwi as an emblem first appeared late 19th* century in New Zealand regimental badges. Badges of the South Canterbury Battalion in 1886 and the Hastings Rifle Volunteers in 1887 both featured kiwis. Later, kiwis appeared in a great number of military badges. In 1887 the new Auckland University College (opened 1883) featured on their Coat of Arms three kiwis, symbolising the confinement of the kiwi to the islands of New Zealand.

Students of the University in 1905, began publishing a magazine called The Kiwi which survived until the mid 1960s. The Kiwi symbol began to be recognised internationally in 1906 when Kiwi Shoe Polish was launched in Melbourne by a man with a New Zealand born wife. The polish was widely marketed in Britain and the USA during World War I and later. By 1908, kiwis were app earing in numerous sporting, political, and other newspaper cartoons. During the First World War, New Zealanders carved a giant kiwi on the chalk hill above Sling Camp in England. In Flanders during the war, the name Kiwi for New Zealand soldiers came into general use. By the Second World War, the Kiwi was synonymous with New Zealand Servicemen overseas. During the war, the Kiwi Concert Party toured many battle areas. The Kiwi (New Zealand Army) Football Team which toured the British Isles, France and Germany in 1945-46 also enhanced the emblems popularity. Today, New Zealanders overseas (and at home) are still invariably called Kiwis.

The Kiwi is still closely associated with the Armed Forces. The New Zealand dollar is often referred to as the The Kiwi and the kiwi fruit is known as a Kiwi in some countries. Kiwis feature in the coat of arms, crests and badges of many New Zealand cities, clubs and organisations. Custom Search Kiwi Bird - Animal Facts and Information Kiwi Bird Posted by BioExpedition | Apr 13, 2012 | Animals , Birds | Kiwi Bird Facts and Information Introduction to Kiwi Bird The Kiwi Bird doesn’t fly and that is one distinction from it and other types of birds. They are about the size of a chicken. There are 5 species of them that have been recognized. They range in size based on location and species but they are about 18 inches tall and weigh about 7 pounds. This particular bird doesn’t have a tail either. Class Apteryx Kiwi Bird Description They are the only bird species that have nostrils at the end of their long beak. They have a beak that is about 1/3 the length of their body. It is extremely sensitive to touch.

They have wings but they don’t have any muscle which is why they don’t fly. The wings blend in so well to their feathers that you have to look closely to see that they have them. They have a roundish body like a chicken. They have claw like feet that are very sharp and they use them for protection when necessary. They also use them to dig for food. Kiwi Bird Distribution The Southern Alps are the main location for the Kiwi Bird. New Zealand is where about 20,000 of them live. They like dark forests areas, they are able to adapt to a variety of locations. As their natural habitat has been removed they have been forced to live in areas that weren’t common to them before. Breeding programs at the the zoos have helped to increase their overall population. Kiwi Bird Behavior This is a very shy bird and they tend to move quickly when they feel that there could be a predator around their habitat. They are also nocturnal and that helps them to stay away from various types of predators. They are very vocal and that helps them to protect territory, warn of dangers, and call to their mate.

Kiwi Bird – Genus: Apteryx Kiwi Bird Feeding They consume a variety of foods including small invertebrates, grubs, seeds, and various types of worms. They will consume fruit when it is in season and various types of amphibians . They are able to locate insects and worms under the ground without having to see them due to their great sense of smell. Kiwi Bird Reproduction The males and females have dance rituals from March to June when they will take part in mating. They are very particular about who they choose for a mate because they will stay loyal to that same partner for life. If one of them dies there could be another mate in the future.. This particular bird lays the largest size of egg in proportion to their body size of any birds. Only 1 egg is placed into the nest that both the male and the female will create. The female will spend most of the time incubating the egg while the male looks for food to bring back to her. They young will arrive in about 63 to 92 days. The parents will take turns protecting it and bringing food back to the nest. In a few weeks the bird will be able to leave the nest with them.

They can live up to 20 years in the wild. Kiwi Bird Conservation All 5 of the Kiwi Bird species are at risk of extinction due to increased numbers of predators and loss of habitat. They are preserved in many National Parks and forests but there is still more work that has to be done in order to protect them. Share: Kiwi: Female North Island brown kiwi song (MP3, 2252K) 2 minute 24 second recording of a female brown kiwi calling her mate. Note: Right-click the song link for options to save. Bird songs may be reused according to our copyright terms. More help on files . Breeding Adult kiwi usually mate for life, and are strongly territorial. Depending on the species, the male kiwi does most of the egg incubation. There is usually one clutch of one egg per year from June to December. Brown kiwi often have two clutches of two eggs. Chicks hatch fully feathered after a long incubation of 70-85 days, emerge from the nest to feed at about five days old and are never fed by their parents. Juveniles grow slowly, taking three to five years to reach adult size.

Distribution View a map of the distribution of kiwi . Threat status All kiwi species are threatened with extinction, but to varying degrees. The rowi and the Haast tokoeka are our most threatened kiwi, due to their small population size and limited number of populations. The brown kiwi, great spotted kiwi, and the Fiordland and Rakiura (Stewart Island)forms of tokoeka are 'nationally vulnerable', the third highest threat ranking in the New Zealand Threat Classification System; and the little spotted kiwi is classified as “at risk (recovering)”. Kiwi and people Cultural importance Kiwi are a significant national icon, equally cherished by all cultures in New Zealand. Kiwi are a symbol for the uniqueness of New Zealand wildlife and the value of our natural heritage. The bird itself is a taonga (treasure) to Maori, who have strong cultural, spiritual and historic associations with kiwi. Its feathers are valued in weaving kahukiwi (kiwi feather cloak) for people of high rank. Due to the cultural significance to Maori and the traditional knowledge about the bird, tangata whenua are a key stakeholder in kiwi management.

For a number of local iwi and hapu throughout New Zealand, this relationship between tangata whenua and kiwi has been formally recognised as part of their Treaty of Waitangi settlement claims, which encompass specific references to species recovery work. This includes the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. Community involvement Kiwi have become flagship species for conservation and are often used as a measure for the state of our natural environment and the outcome and value of community conservation projects. Today, more than 90 community and iwi-led groups actively protect kiwi over a combined area estimated to be 230,000 ha – very similar to the amount of public conservation land protected by DOC for kiwi. Land is managed for wild populations, as well as at fenced predator-proof sites and on predator-free islands Many community and iwi-led kiwi conservation groups are working to help kiwi Threats to kiwi The biggest threat to kiwi chicks is stoats, and to adult kiwi, dogs. Introduced mammals can also have a wider impact on kiwi. Competition by rodents for similar food appears to result in delayed growth of kiwi chicks and therefore increased pressure on the overall population at some sites.

Rats are fodder for stoats – when there are lots of rats, there are lots of stoats. In areas where we do the work to control predators, kiwi numbers are increasing. On the Coromandel, for example, the kiwi population is doubling every decade thanks to intensive predator control. Other threats include habitat modification/loss and motor vehicle strike, as well as the small population size and distribution of some species. New avian disease and parasites that may reach New Zealand present a further threat to kiwi populations. Stoats In most parts of the country, stoats are responsible for approximately half of kiwi chick deaths on the mainland. Without management only 10% of kiwi chicks survive to the age of six months. Young kiwi chicks are vulnerable to stoat predation until they reach about one kilogram in weight, at which time they can usually defend themselves against stoats. Dogs Dogs frequently kill adult kiwi and can cause catastrophic declines in local populations. All dogs, regardless of size, breed, training or temperament are potential kiwi killers. Farm dogs, hunting dogs, visiting dogs and pet dogs are equally attracted to the strong distinctive scent of kiwi.

They may not mean to kill, but kiwi are extremely easily crushed in dog’s jaws, even if just in a playful bite. Kiwi have no sternum (breastbone), so their ribcage is very vulnerable to collapse. It is now recognised that dogs significantly reduce the life expectancy of adult Northland brown kiwi to just 14 years on average. Read more about dogs and Northland brown kiwi . Cats Uncontrolled, wild or abandoned cats are a threat and kill kiwi chicks. Tests with radio collars on pet cats have shown their ability to wander up to 20 kilometres from home. Ferrets Ferrets frequently kill adult kiwi. Small population size Risks to small populations of kiwi include loss of genetic diversity, inbreeding and vulnerability to localised dramatic events such as fire, disease or predator increases. Limited dispersal and associated lowered chances of finding a mate in declining, small populations can also lead to lower reproductive rates, worsening the effect of the decline. You can help For New Zealanders, the kiwi is not just another bird and saving kiwi is not just a matter of concern for scientists and conservationists.

To all New Zealanders, kiwi are an important part of our unique natural heritage. There are many kiwi conservation groups that you could join. They are from the Far North all the way down to Stewart Island. Their main focus is on predator control – thousands and thousands of traps are placed throughout New Zealand forests. You can help save the kiwi in many ways: Control dogs and other pets Keep your dog tied up and cats inside at night if you live in or near kiwi habitat. Avoid taking your dogs into kiwi areas. Dogs are prohibited from all kiwi sanctuaries. If you do need to take your dog into kiwi areas, take it to kiwi aversion training, and keep it on a leash under strict control at all times. Remember dogs are not permitted in many conservation areas so check with your local DOC office first. Report roaming dogs in kiwi areas to DOC. Do not dump unwanted pets (dogs, cats or ferrets) in the bush. Give them to the SPCA or have them humanely put down by a vet.

Rowi killed by a stoat The biggest threat to kiwi chicks is stoats, and to adult kiwi, dogs Make a donation Visit the Kiwis for kiwi website and make a secure online credit card donation. All donations go directly to Kiwis for kiwi for allocation to kiwi conservation projects throughout New Zealand. Any donation over $5 is tax deductible. Volunteer to help save kiwi Volunteer your time and energy to local kiwi conservation community projects. Encourage the safeguarding of kiwi habitat in your area. Consider moving to or establishing a cat- and dog-free housing subdivision. Watch out for kiwi If you are lucky to have kiwi on your property, protect them by fencing and covenanting habitat, trapping predators, keeping dogs under control, and putting escape ramps in cattle stops. Learn to recognise kiwi calls and report what you hear and see to DOC. Drive carefully at night and watch for kiwi on roads when driving through kiwi habitat (look out for the distinctive yellow kiwi road sign). If you manage plantation forest, use techniques such as the kiwi-safe harvesting regime. Report sick or injured kiwi If you find a sick, injured or dead kiwi, take it to your nearest DOC office.

If you hit a kiwi with your car, do not hit-and-run! If the bird is injured or dead, take it to your nearest DOC office. Where to See the Kiwi Bird in New Zealand Where to See the Kiwi Bird in New Zealand Kiwi Houses and Sanctuaries to View New Zealand's National Bird Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters Thanks, You're in! There was an error. Please try again. Please select a newsletter. Please enter a valid email address. Did you mean ? New Zealand Photo Galleries The national bird of New Zealand, the kiwi is a small, flightless and rather unusual bird. Due to the destruction of its natural habitat by deforestation and the devastation of the population by predators, this nocturnal bird is not often seen in the wild. However, there are a number of places where kiwis can still be seen. The best places are special 'houses' that simulate the dark, damp conditions of the forest at night where they naturally forage. It's well worth stopping at one of these for a glimpse of this fascinating bird. It's also possible to find kiwis in their natural habitat in the wild, although this is rather more difficult and obviously not guaranteed.

Here is a list of kiwi houses and sanctuaries where the kiwi can be seen. Most also have active breeding and hatching programs and offer information and tours about this fascinating creature. Click on the highlighted title for more information on each. 1. Kiwi North Kiwi House (Whangarei, Northland, North Island) This is a very interesting place to visit in Northland for discovering some of New Zealand's unique wildlife. In addition to the kiwi, you will also find the tuatara (a native reptile dating back to the time of the dinosaurs) and the morepork (ruru), New Zealand's native owl. Also enjoy the adjacent Whangarei Museum and a 25-hectare Heritage Park. More » continue reading below our video Before Your Road Trip, Watch This Saving New Zealand's Endangered Birds | Kiwis at Willowbank Home > Wildlife Reserve > Kiwis at Willowbank New Zealand Kiwi Birds New Zealand is the natural home of the unique and fascinating New Zealand Kiwi bird. At Willowbank, protecting and educating the public about this very special, endangered species, is one of our most important roles as a wildlife reserve .

The Kiwi in New Zealand The geographic isolation of the islands making up New Zealand means that 90% of our flora and fauna can be found nowhere else in the world (although some similarities are seen in South American forest life) and still flourish as they did 100 million years ago. Today New Zealand has only approximately 25% of its original (prior to human settlement) forest cover remaining. The Kiwi Bird Kiwi birds are one of the world's oddities. They have many mammalian features including two functioning ovaries, heavy bone marrow, cat like whiskers and hair like feathers, along with many unusual birdlike features. Kiwi lay the largest egg in proportion to their size of any species of bird at 20% of the female's body weight. Kiwis have very small wings, and almost one third of their total weight is made up from two heavily muscled legs. Their long bill allows deep probing into the ground for earthworms, and they have nostrils located on the tip of their bill, an adaptation that often requires a loud snort to clear. Kiwi evolved for 70 million years before man introduced the many mammals that are found in this country now.

Chick and eggs are very vulnerable to predators, which include possums, stoats, ferrets, feral cats, pigs and dogs. Also the removal of large areas of forest has reduced the habitat and left fragmented populations of kiwi across the country. The male incubates the egg for 70 to 90 days. It can take four days for a kiwi chick to break out of its egg and by then it is exhausted. It is sustained with the yolk for a week and from then it must fend for itself. After hatching, it's a race against time to reach 1kg, when a chick is stronger and and more likely to hold its own. This can take up to a year. 95% of these chicks will be predated (killed) during the first few weeks of their lives so most populations probably consist of aging birds. We will therefore see a rapid decline in population as these birds begin to die of old age. The Kiwi population of 80 years ago was around 5 million birds. Today they have plummeted to 50,000 - 60,000.

This rapid decline in kiwi numbers is what has placed them on the endangered species list, and is the reason behind the kiwi breeding programme that takes place at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve through the New Zealand Conservation Trust. North Island Brown Kiwi North Island Brown kiwi are found in scattered populations throughout the North Island. There is a small range of colour for these kiwi, from russet red to almost black and the occasional albino. South Island Kiwi South Island species and sub species are: Great Spotted, Okarito Brown (Rowi), Haast Tokoeka and Southern Tokoeka. Great Spotted Kiwi have dropped from 30,000 to approximately 10,000. Okarito Brown have dropped from 3000 to 350. Haast Tokoeka have dropped from 6000 to 350. The little Spotted Kiwi was once found throughout both islands but is now only on predator free outlying islands. Recovery Work on Kiwi The Kiwi Recovery Programme has been set up by the Department of Conservation to prevent the decline of kiwi numbers.

'Operation Nest Egg' The eggs are removed from the wild, hatched and reared in captivity then released back into the wild when big enough to defend themselves against predators. 'Communities for Kiwis' scheme manages patches of kiwi habitat on private and public land. Kiwi Sanctuaries - Five sanctuaries have been created covering 43,000 hectares protecting the critically endangered Okarito Rowi and Haast Tokoeka and some areas of North Island Brown kiwi. In these areas DOC has used intensive ground based predator control to knock the number of possums, stoats and ferrets to as low as possible. In some areas 1080 aerial baits are being trialed to assess the effects compared to trapping. Kiwis at Willowbank - Kiwi Breeding The kiwi breeding area covers an outdoor open area of bush land, approximately 2 hectares in size. This area has been extensively planted and is surrounded by a high predator-proof fence sunk deep into the ground. It is the home of several breeding pairs of kiwi. Rarely seen during the day, these birds are very active at night-time, and often viewed under the lights.

The juvenile kiwi can be viewed in a huge nocturnal house. At any one time there are up to 8 to 10 birds in this area. These are North Island Brown Kiwi that have been bred at Willowbank. Kiwi are naturally very shy and keep well hidden from humans but at Willowbank our kiwi are calm and relaxed. One of the best ways to see the kiwi at Willowbank is on one of our Night Tours or Kiwi Breeding Tours. Willowbank has bred North Island Brown Kiwi for many viewing facilities and for advocacy in New Zealand. Since 2005, the New Zealand Conservation Trust at Willowbank has been the only operation to take an active part in ‘Operation Nest Egg’ in the South Island, with both Okarito Brown Kiwi (Rowi), Haast Tokoeka and Great Spotted Kiwi eggs being hatched. During last season alone, almost 71 Haast & Okarito eggs and chicks were hatched & reared on the premises. The eggs are driven or flown from a number of areas in the South Island, and on arrival are immediately put into incubators in the kiwi breeding centre.

Great Spotted Kiwi eggs are retrieved from Paparoa Park on the West Coast and Nelson Lakes. As at the end of the 2009/10 season a total of 26 Haast, 45 Okarito, 1 North Island Brown, and 16 great Spotted Kiwi chicks were reared and released to creche sites. The great Spotted Kiwi is the largest of all kiwi and is the only species found wild in Canterbury. Kiwis bred at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve through the efforts of the New Zealand Conservation Trust and staff at the reserve, are part of New Zealand’s most successful captive breeding programme. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is home to the largest open display of kiwi. The rate of mortality is so high among chicks in the wild, that it is believed that adults are not managing to even raise two or three chicks in their lifetime. Both egg and chick are vulnerable to possums, stoats, ferrets, cats, dogs and pigs, but once they reach 1 kg in weight they are thought to have the ability to hold their own against predation.

As an endangered species, the Kiwi at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve come under the governance of the Department of Conservation, and the breeding programme is supported by funding sought by the New Zealand Conservation Trust. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve donates the time and expertise of its staff. Kiwi | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants Apteryx haasti, A. mantelli, A. rowi, A. australis CLASS: Aves (Birds) SPECIES: haasti (great spotted kiwi or roroa), mantelli (brown kiwi), rowi (row), australis (tokoeka) ABOUT The word "kiwi" often brings to mind the image of something small, brown, fuzzy, and found in the produce section of your local supermarket. But the kiwi is not a fruit—that's kiwifruit, which is native to eastern Asia! About the size of a chicken, the kiwi is a small, flightless, and nearly wingless bird found only in New Zealand. Like its larger cousins the cassowary, emu, ostrich, and rhea, the kiwi is classified as a ratite.

Most birds have a special ridge on their sternum, called a keel, where flight muscles attach, but ratites don't need keels because they don't fly. Scientists thought for many years that the kiwi's closest relative was another ratite called a moa, an extinct bird that was also native to New Zealand. However, recent genetic studies have shown that Africa's ostrich is related to the moa while the kiwi is more closely related to Madagascar's extinct elephant bird. Regardless of what it’s related to, this odd-looking bird resembles a large, hairy pear! Its wings are only about 1 inch (3 centimeters) long and are useless, completely hidden under the feathers. The kiwi has no tail but does have very strong, muscular legs, which make up about a third of the bird’s total body weight, that are used for running and fighting. Four toes (other ratites have only two or three) on each thick foot allow the flightless bird to pad silently through the forest in search of food. Despite its small size and awkward appearance, the kiwi can outrun a human and is quite wary.

Looking quite different from any other bird, the kiwi has many body parts that make it seem more like a mammal. While most birds have thin skin and hollow bones to make them lighter for flying, the kiwi's skin is a bit thicker and tough, and its bones are heavy and filled with marrow. Its wings have a cat-like claw on the tip, like some bats’ wings have, but it is nonfunctional. The kiwi digs burrows instead of building a nest. Its feathers are long, loose, and hair-like, and it has modified feathers that serve as whiskers on its face and around the base of its beak. The kiwi also has a relatively low body temperature (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) that is much more like a mammal than a bird. HABITAT AND DIET The kiwi lives in forested areas of New Zealand that tend to be very steep and wet, surrounded by shrubs and trees found nowhere else on Earth. Since it is not able to fly up into trees to nest, rest, or escape from danger, the kiwi makes its home in burrows in the ground of its swampy forest or grassland habitat.

The bird digs multiple burrows within its territory, using strong toes and claws. Nest burrows, dug early in the season, become overgrown at the entrance to provide great camouflage by the time the female is ready to lay her eggs. Most birds sleep at night, and it has long been thought that the kiwi is nocturnal, since it is rarely seen during the day. But researchers studying the bird on New Zealand's Stewart Island have seen them out and about during the day. Still, the kiwi usually rests in deep underground burrows or hollow logs during the day, and as night begins to fall, it slowly pokes its bill out to sniff the air. If the coast is clear, the bird cautiously emerges to begin a nightly routine of gorging on worms and other invertebrates. Kiwis evolved sharing their habitat with another bird, the weka, that eats their eggs, so they had to get “sneaky” in hiding their burrows. However, their casual “sleeping burrow” has a noticeable dirt arrow pointing right to it, as the kiwis fling the dirt behind them while making the opening!

Because they did not evolve with any mammal predators around, kiwis lack the appropriate anti-mammal predatory response; kiwi chicks are vulnerable to nonnative predators like domestic cats and dogs, as well as stoats, weasels, ferrets, and rats. Sadly, this species suffers from a 95-pecent chick mortality rate! The kiwi is the only bird in the world that has nostrils at the tip of its bill. It also has a highly developed sense of smell. Using only scent to find food and sensory pads at the tip of the bill to catch its food, the kiwi lives on grubs, worms, bugs, berries, and seeds. If dirt gets sniffed up in it nostrils, the kiwi can sneeze it out! It can also use its sturdy, powerful feet to kick apart rotting logs to find beetles to eat. Foraging from dusk to dawn, these birds can be heard snuffling around in their territory; if alarmed, they run off and then stick their bills into the air, sniffing to see if it's safe to return. Their ears are large, giving them a very good sense of hearing.

They have been seen tipping their head toward a sound to listen more clearly, much like humans do. A kiwi is very protective of its own territory—it doesn’t want other kiwis taking all the good food and burrows it worked so hard to make. So, the kiwi patrols its area every night, leaving smelly droppings to mark boundaries to keep other kiwis away—a very unbird-like behavior. To keep track of each other in the dark, kiwis can shriek loudly, a half scream, half whistle that also serves to scare others away. This cry sounds like “kee-wee, kee-wee,” which is how the bird got its name. The kiwi can also grunt, snort, and hiss when angry. FAMILY LIFE Kiwi pairs use gentle grunts and snuffles with each other and their chicks, and males purr during mating. Pairs do fight, and the larger female may kick the male away if she is not in the mood for his company. If another kiwi invades a pair’s territory, a kicking fight ensues, and kiwis have been known to fight to the death, although this is rare in the wild.

An adult male and female kiwi typically pair for life, but a female may choose a new male if a more desirable one wanders by. The male doesn't have beautiful songs or fancy feathers to attract a female. Instead, he follows one around constantly while grunting. If she's not interested, the female might wander off or try to scare him away. Breeding season is late winter to early summer. Nests might be in hollow logs or in underground burrows dug by the male. The female kiwi lays up to six eggs every year. Kiwi eggs are smooth and white, off-white, or pale green in color. They are also huge in comparison to the mother: one egg might reach up to 20 percent of her weight; that would be like a 120-pound (54 kilograms) human female giving birth to a 24-pound (11 kilograms) baby! Compared to the relative weights of other birds and their eggs, the female kiwi should weigh about 31 pounds (14 kilograms) rather than its typical weight of 2 to 8 pounds (0.9 to 3.6 kilograms).

Kiwi eggs contain almost twice as much yolk as most birds their size and have natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. This is important because the kiwi’s damp, underground burrows are fertile breeding grounds for bacteria and fungus. How did the kiwi evolve to create such a huge egg? Probably due to an abundant food source providing plenty of raw material for egg production, the kiwi’s loss of flight, eliminating the weight limit on the egg, and the lack of predatory pressure on a bird that historically had no native New Zealand predators. The large egg results in a long incubation period. As ancestral kiwis decreased in size, the egg stayed the same size, allowing for a more developed (precocial) chick needing less parental care. After the egg is laid, the male takes over parenting duties. He incubates the egg and maintains the nest for nearly 75 to 85 days, but if the female returns to lay another egg, the male has to sit on the clutch that much longer. Unlike most bird parents, kiwis do not turn their eggs. Lacking an egg tooth, the chick must kick its way out of the shell. It hatches wearing shaggy adult feathers and looking like a miniature version of its parents.

No ugly baby phase for these birds! The youngster is not fed by the adults but gets its nourishment from a large reserve of yolk in its abdomen. The chick stays in the nest for its first few days, gaining strength. The young kiwi then leaves the burrow and, accompanied by Dad, begins the search for food. It stays with the male up to 20 days and may stick around in the adults' territory for months or even years. It was long thought that the kiwi mates for life, but as researchers come to know individuals during research in the wild, it has become clear that the kiwi “divorce rate” was quite high, with birds changing mates every couple of years, in areas where kiwis were abundant. AT THE ZOO The San Diego Zoo’s first kiwi arrived from the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand in December 1954, the only kiwi at that time to live in the Western Hemisphere. That zoo’s director had visited our zoo and determined, after looking it over carefully, that a kiwi would do well here. The bird was named Belle, after our director at that time, Belle Benchley. Ornithologists and scientists came from around the U.S.

just to view our kiwi. The San Diego Chapter of The Kiwis (formerly American Airlines flight attendants) donated funds for the construction of a kiwi enclosure. The bird came with this greeting from the Auckland Zoo: “The kiwi we are sending you is an adult. The biographical details are that this bird was sent to us three and a half years ago from Opotiki, a town not far from Rotorua in a district where there is still quite a lot of native bush. It is a typical North Island kiwi Apteryx australis mantelli. We have no great ideas as to longevity of kiwis. I hope you have a very successful time with the bird and commiserate with you in advance over the difficulties you will have trying to marry in the desire for everyone to see the kiwi and your desire to keep it healthy and getting enough sleep.” This concern was well-founded. With its nocturnal habits, the kiwi preferred to sleep in a secluded spot in its well-shaded enclosure during the day and forage for food at night. Mrs.

Benchley noted in the Zoo’s member magazine, ZOONOOZ, in 1955, “… the kiwi is here, located in an excellent cage, and since this cage was designed to give the bird a maximum of security and a minimum of excitement or fear for its own security, I know that you, the Zoo visitor, will have to be satisfied with fleeting glances, or partial success in seeing your first kiwi, just as you might in the wild…” A few years later, Belle the kiwi turned out to be a male and was renamed Benjamin. He was introduced to his potential mate, Nancy, in 1967, a gift from the Wellington Zoo, the Wellington City Council, and the Government Wildlife Division of New Zealand. Nancy arrived via a well-advertised Kiwi Flight on Air New Zealand. Both Benjamin and Nancy died in 1968. In 1969, a nocturnal exhibit was built for a new pair of kiwis, given to the City of San Diego on its 200th anniversary by New Zealand Wildlife Service.

The home for Toa and Uha, whose names are Maori for “male” and “female,” had a unique feature at the time: it was dimly lit by a blue light during the day so Zoo guests could see them most active, and brightly lit at night, to encourage the birds to sleep. Toa died in 1972, but a new mate for Uha, named Toa II, arrived on loan from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. in 1973. Yet, like Belle/Benjamin, Uha had difficulty living up to “her” name, and the discovery that both birds were male did little for our hoped-for kiwi breeding program. It was not until 1979 that a breeding program was started here in earnest, with kiwis from the San Diego Zoo, the National Zoo, which had hatched a kiwi in 1975, and the Auckland Zoo. However, utilizing both indoor and outdoor exhibits and rotating the five kiwis in the breeding program still produced nothing but 16 infertile eggs in 4 years. In 1983, the right combination was found at last, and our first kiwi hatched.

Sadly, the chick died from a bacterial infection three weeks later. A second chick hatched in 1986. Since then, we’ve had much better success with kiwi hatchings. Currently, there are four brown kiwis at the Zoo, but they live in an off-exhibit area as part of our conservation breeding program for this species. CONSERVATION The kiwi existed for millions of years with only one natural predator—the now-extinct laughing owl—and no threats of any kind. When the Maori people established themselves in New Zealand in the 1300s, they used kiwi feathers to adorn cloaks worn by their chiefs and used the birds as food, hunting them at night by imitating kiwi calls. But in the late 1800s, settlers moved into kiwi territory, bringing dogs, cats, ferrets, stoats, and rats that ate kiwi eggs or the birds themselves. The settlers prized kiwi feathers, too—for trout flies! Kiwi leg bones were popular as well for making pipe stems.

New Zealand passed a law in 1908 prohibiting the hunting, capture, or killing of kiwis, but the $100 penalty did little to control the situation, and in 1921 the kiwi was declared an “absolutely protected bird.” Its popularity grew, and the kiwi was adopted as New Zealand’s national emblem. Coins, postage stamps, fighting troops, and shoe polish all carry the name or image of the unique bird. New Zealanders even accepted the nickname “kiwis” given them by their allies during World War II. Today, 80 percent of kiwi habitat has been destroyed, and the birds continue to fall prey to dogs, weasels, cats, ferrets, pigs, people, cattle guards, cars, swimming pools, and possum traps. Still, the birds are highly adaptive and have been seen in New Zealand cow pastures and plantations. Every year, 95 percent of all kiwi chicks are killed before they reach the age of 6 months, and every 2 years the kiwi population decreases by about 10 percent. A few years ago, New Zealand began a kiwi recovery program.

People living near kiwi areas have learned to keep their dogs leashed and to slow their cars when they see a kiwi caution sign by the road. Operation Nest Egg collects eggs from the wild and raises the chicks until they are large enough to defend themselves against predators following release into the wild. In 2009, San Diego Zoo Global formed collaborations with local ranchers on a private island off the coast of western New Zealand, Massey University, in-country scientists, and the native Maori people to delve into the ecology of the brown kiwi, which has been in decline for decades. Learning about the reproductive ecology of this bird is the only way to ensure that its populations will survive and thrive. The island is secluded, protected habitat with a high density of kiwis. Techniques were developed in our labs to identify individual kiwis by their DNA and, and ultrasound procedures were used to monitor growth of ovarian follicles to estimate egg-laying time. This newfound knowledge was then successfully applied to birds on the island. Eggs laid by zoo kiwis tend to be much smaller and have a much lower fertility rate than their wild counterparts. By monitoring egg development in the wild, we hope to discover ways to improve fertility and survival of eggs at our facilities.

Important data can also be gleaned from radio-tracking devices on the birds. After months of fieldwork, 47 adult kiwis on the island now have a radio transmitter attached to a leg, and 41 kiwi nests were documented, allowing us to explore the importance of habitat and behavior on the nesting success of this rare and reclusive species. The birds are identified with transponder tags, such as those used to microchip domestic pets. The radio transmitters reveal a great deal about where the birds go and how far they travel for food. One area of study is mate choice and how long kiwis stay together. Ongoing research will compare hormone levels in wild birds to those in managed care and also observe chick dispersal patterns for this long-lived bird. A few fascinating facts have emerged from our efforts so far, such as finding three males incubating a single egg! LIFE SPAN The Kiwi Bird, NZ | Active Adventures Kiwi Kiwis - the National Bird of New Zealand Ever wondered why people from New Zealand are sometimes called Kiwis? Have you ever seen a Kiwi, are you perhaps unsure of what a Kiwi even is? Is it a fruit? Is it a bird?

Many visitors to New Zealand are unsure of the answers to these questions. Hopefully this section of the Active New Zealand website will enlighten you a litte and maybe answer some of hose questions. The Kiwi Bird The most ancient of New Zealand’s birds, the kiwi evolved 70 million years ago from a flightless ancestor from the great southern continent of Gondwana. It’s a member of the ratite group, and related to the ostrich, emu and rhea as well as the now extinct New Zealand moa.This bird, even if it is not very often seen, is well known. It has given its name to New Zealanders, who are called "Kiwis" the world over. Yet all this time the bird has been a relatively secretive, nocturnal species seldom seen in the wild state. Kiwis are relatively long - lived birds. Branding studies have not been going long enough to give a good indication of life expectancy, but 20 - 30 years is probable. Several brown and little spotted kiwis have lived in captivity for 20 years or more and one North Island brown is approaching 40. There are two species of Kiwis in New Zealand.

Brown Kiwis are found in forested areas in the North Island, Fiordland, South Westland and Stewart Island. Spotted Kiwis are found on offshore islands and forests in the North of the South Island. There are six varieties of the kiwi; the Great Spotted, the Little Spotted, the North Island Brown, the Okarito Brown, the Stewart Island Brown and the The Haast Brown. The Maori hunted the birds at night with the aid of dogs and torches. The skins and feathers were made up in to cloaks which were highly prized. The Maori believed that the kiwi was under special protection of the god Tane, and they called it Te manu a Tane - the bird that Tane hid. Its voice is shrill and from the call comes its Maori name kiwi. The male utters a repeated prolonged whistling call. The female call is shorter and hoarser. During feeding they emit snuffling sounds. The bird is nocturnal, tail-less and flightless. They are the only known bird to have external nostrils at the base of their long beaks and their sense of smell is very finely tuned.

It locates the insects, grubs and spiders it eats by sniffing among the leaves, moss and rotting wood on the forest floor leaving characteristic bore marks. They tap the ground with their beaks and scrape away forest litter with their feet searching for food by pushing their beak about 15 cm into the ground and probing for insects, worms and snails. They also eat the berries from some native trees. Sometimes they make a snuffling sound, as they expel air through their nostrils while they feed. Kiwi are burrowers and often move to a new burrow each day. The little spotted kiwi and the brown kiwi tend to use simple one-entrance burrows, but the great spotted kiwi puts time and effort into constructing a labyrinth of tunnels. Kiwi live in pairs, as couples, all their lives. Male kiwi fight vigorously for a mate and the female occasionally kicks her smaller partner when warding off his unwanted advances. About every third day, the pair shelter together in the same burrow. During the night when they are foraging for food or patrolling their territory, they call to each other.

The calls of the male and female are quite distinct: he utters prolonged shrill whistles, while she has a lower, hoarser cry. Kiwi are very strong and often extremely bad tempered. Adult birds use their razor sharp claws to defend themselves. Extremely territorial, they protect their "patch", which can be as large as 40 hectares, by calling, or chasing the intruder and kicking it. When alarmed or feeling aggressive, kiwi make noises that range from a growl to a hiss, along with loud bill-snapping. Kiwis have only remnants of wings, and like the moa to which they are related , lack a keel on the breastbone for attachment of flight muscles. Though kiwis have weak eyesight, long bristles around there mouths help them feel their way through the undergrowth at night. The nest is a burrow or depression under tree roots or a hollow log. It lays a clutch of eggs of 1 or 2 very large off-white eggs laid at an interval of 10-30 days.

The eggs are about 180mm long and 80mm in diameter - six times as large as would be normal for a bird of its weight and weighing about 20% of the female's body.. The incubation period is 72-80 days, usually by the male. Throughout the incubation period the male covers the nest with sticks and leaves each night and goes off to search for food. Sometimes he also leaves it during the day. This makes the eggs vulnerable to predation by mammals and sometimes weka. For the first week after it hatches, the kiwi chick relies on the yolk sac from its egg for food. At one week old, it emerges from the nest for the first time. It looks just like a small adult kiwi. For more than two weeks the male and the chick share the burrow during the day, while at night both parents stay close enough to the chick to protect it. The male kiwi leaves the nest when the chick is about three months old. Soon after, the chick leaves the nest and for the next few weeks, finds its own shelter during the day. The young kiwi feeds at night, keeping its distance from its parents, who seem to tolerate its presence less.

By the following spring the chick has moved out of the parents territory altogether. It moves around, staying in a variety of places where it may be chased out by other kiwi, until it finds an empty territory. Even scientists in the know have difficulty the sex of Kiwis and staff at the Queenstown Kiwi and Birdlife Park were a tad surprised when "Baldric" hatched an egg. So the Massey University and a bit of DNA sampling are trying to improve on the traditional methods used - bill length, call and size. I think I would rather leave it a surprise .... The Kiwi survived for so many million of years because its protective colouration and hidden lifestyle protected it from the old native enemies - threats from the air by the giant eagle Harpagornis or the huge harrier, both now extinct themselves. But the kiwi was in no way equipped to protect itself against the threats from the ground - stoats, ferrets, weasels, possums, pigs, dogs, cats and humans. Resourceful it may be - strong, fleet-footed and feisty - but the kiwi has exhausted its own resources and is now dependent on ours.

Follow us: Kiwi Facts & Characteristics :: Kiwis for kiwi Kiwi facts & characteristics Instagram Kiwi facts & characteristics Kiwi have many weird and wonderful features thanks to New Zealand's ancient isolation and lack of mammals. It is thought they evolved to occupy a habitat and lifestyle that elsewhere in the world would be filled by a mammal, and their one-off evolutionary design holds all sorts of biological records. Quick Kiwi Facts An average of 27 kiwi are killed by predators EVERY WEEK. That’s a population decline of around 1,400 kiwi every year (or 2%). At this rate, kiwi may disappear from the mainland in our lifetime. Just one hundred years ago, kiwi numbered in the millions. A single roaming dog can wipe out an entire kiwi population in a matter of days Approximately 20% of the kiwi population is under management. In areas under where predators are controlled, 50-60% of chicks survive. When areas are not under management 95% of kiwi die before reaching breeding age. Only 20% survival rate of kiwi chicks is needed for the population to increase.

Proof of success – on the Coromandel, in the predator controlled area, the kiwi population is doubling every decade. What’s so unusual? Kiwi are flightless – their Latin species name is Apteryx, which means wingless. They belong to an ancient group of birds that can’t fly – the ratites . Because they can’t fly, how they arrived in New Zealand is not completely clear. Kiwi habits and physical characteristics are so like a mammal the bird is sometimes referred to as an honorary mammal . It has feathers like hair, nostrils at the end of its beak and an enormous egg . Most kiwi are nocturnal birds , like many of New Zealand’s native animals. Their calls pierce the forest air at dusk and dawn. Kiwi are omnivores. Discover what foods they find with their unusual beak. Even though kiwi are unusual enough, tall stories abound about the bird. Find out more about kiwi The Kiwi Bird Physical Description The kiwi bird is a flightless bird, about the size of a chicken. It is nocturnal; meaning it sleeps during the day and is active at nighttime.

It has a long beak that is one-third the length of its body, and its beak actually has nostrils at the end. The kiwi is the only bird with this feature. Another quirky feature of the kiwi is that it has no tail. It has thick brown hair-like feathers. This bird has many physical features unlike any other bird on earth. Habitat The kiwi bird is native of New Zealand. It is the island country's national bird, and is rare anywhere but here and a few pacific island neighbors. Of course, it is available for viewing at certain zoos, including the San Diego Zoo. It has stayed in its native land due to the facts that it is an isolated island and that kiwis can't fly. Hunting/ Feeding Characteristics With it's long beak, the kiwi digs up and chows on worms. A kiwi is almost blind; it can see about six feet at night and around two feet during the day, so when it comes to hunting the kiwi is not well equipped. It used the nostrils on its beak to find its food and then plucks up the worms with its beak. Special Adaptations Kiwi birds have been called a genetic leftover.

Their characteristics seem very odd to us probably due to the fact that they haven't evolved much at all. They are suspected to be about 8 million years old. That's 7 million years older than humans. Due to New Zealand's isolated environment, it has been safe from predators and hasn't needed to do much adapting. They just hang around. Interesting Facts Kiwi birds are extremely unique in the bird world. Though they are the size of chickens, they lay eggs the size of ostrich eggs, weighing around a pound each. Their enormous eggs are the largest in the bird world, in proportion to their bodies. These birds were named after their distinctive shrill cry "kee-wee kee-wee".

Question: What country's national bird is the kiwi?
Answer: New Zealand