Ryan Photographic - Apterygidae - Kiwis

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FamilyApterygidae

There are five kiwi species. They are the smallest of the ratite birds (the extinct moa, elephant birds, ostriches, cassowaries and rhea). Despite sharing their habitat with the moa, genetic evidence suggests they are more closely related to the extinct Elephant birds of Madagascar. All are forest dwelling and use their long beak and sensitive "whiskers" to probe the litter on the forest floor, extract worms, or even catch freshwater crayfish and eels. On Rakiura (Stewart Isand) they will forage on the beach at low tide. They will also eat seeds and fruit.

Introduced preadors such as stoats, cats and dogs, pose a major threat to kiwi. New Zealand's Department of Conservation, Te Papa Atawhai, runs predator control and captive breeding programs which has helped increase their numbers.

Kiwi lay one of the largest eggs proportional to body size of any bird, with the egg taking up to 20% of the female's weight.

I would occasionally see kiwi while I was running on the Point Elizabeth walkway on the West Coast of South Island and they can often be called callng at night. In Doubtful Sound, our boat captain played back a boom box recording of a kiwi calling. After a few minutes of broadcast, a kiwi ran out of the bush onto the track, kicked the boom box over and disappeared back into the forest.

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Apteryx mantelli, Brown kiwi

Apteryx mantelli, Brown kiwi

Apteryx mantelli, Brown kiwi 2

Apteryx mantelli Brown kiwi 3

Apteryx mantelli Brown kiwi 4

Apteryx mantelli Brown kiwi 6

Apteryx mantelli egg being weighed

Apteryx mantelli Kiwi egg in hand

Apteryx mantelli Brown Kiwi head shot

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