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Facts about kiwi

It's a curious bird, the kiwi, it cannot fly, has loose, hair-like feathers and long whiskers. Largely nocturnal, it burrows in the ground, is the only bird known to have nostrils at the end of its bill and literally sniffs out food. It also has one of the largest egg-to-body weight ratios of any bird - the egg averages 15 per cent of the female's body weight (compared to two per cent for the ostrich).

The kiwi is related to the ostrich of Africa, the emu of Australia and the now-extinct moa of New Zealand. Females are larger than males and with brown kiwi, the male does most of the egg incubating. Kiwis live in pairs and mate for life, sometimes as long as 30 years.

Hear a kiwi call

Male North Island brown kiwi (MP3, 558K)

35 second recording of a male brown kiwi calling his mate.

Female North Island brown kiwi (MP3, 2252K)

2 minute 24 second recording of a female brown kiwi calling her mate.

 

 
Publication
Saving our kiwi  A stocktake of kiwi conservation in New Zealand
Publication

Kiwi recovery plan 2008-2018 (PDF, 685K)  

Information

Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust website
Information about funding applications for kiwi conservation organisations

Kiwi House and Native Bird Park website, Otorohanga, New Zealand

Find out about kiwi recovery at Pukaha Mount Bruce www.mtbruce.org.nz

Rimutaka Forest Park Trust website
Find out how the community is reintroducing kiwi to the Rimutaka Forest Park

Media release: New report on the status of the kiwi

Contact

DOC HOTline - 24 hour emergency number

Phone 0800 DOCHOTline (0800 362 468) to report:

Sick or injured wildlife
Whale or dolphin strandings