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Name || Brown Kiwi |
Scientific Name || Apteryx mantelli |
Conservation Status || Endangered |
Habitat || New Zealand forest |
Unique Features ||
A small, nocturnal, flightless bird, the kiwi has only the tiniest stubs of wing remaining. Its feathers are almost hair like, and it has an extremely keen sense of smell and hearing. It has short but powerful legs, and very strong claws.
Social Behaviour ||
Kiwis are aggressive birds that guard their large territories fiercely. They fight by rolling onto their backs and using their strong feet and razor-sharp claws. They usually mate for life (sometimes as long as 30 years).
Diet ||
Kiwi eat mostly earthworms, spiders, forest invertebrates and fallen fruits but has been known to eat freshwater crayfish, frogs and eels.
Reproduction ||
The incubation period is around 80 days, and the male does the incubation. The chicks leave the nest at around three weeks of age.
Life Cycle ||
Kiwi can live for up to 40 years.
Relatives ||
There are three species of kiwi; the Little Spotted kiwi, the Great Spotted kiwi and the North Island Brown kiwi. Kiwis are related to the other ratites - ostrich, moa, emu and cassowary - although it is much smaller.
Interesting Facts :
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The female is bigger than the male.
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It cannot fly, burrows in the ground and is largely nocturnal.
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Kiwi eggs are huge in comparison to other birds of similar size. The egg is 20% of the female's body weight (compared to 2% in the ostrich).
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Kiwi have whiskers, like a mammal, to help it find its way around in the dark.
Breeding Programme ||
Wellington Zoo is part of a national breeding and reintroduction programme to save the kiwi from extinction. Chicks are released by DOC into predator free reserves.
Environmental Conditions ||
The Kiwi, despite being the New Zealand national symbol, is at risk of extinction. Introduced species like possums, stoats, dogs, wild pigs wild cats are predators of Kiwi. Humans have also cut down many of the forests that were the homes of Kiwi. There is an extensive recovery program for Kiwi.
At Wellington Zoo ||
We have two kiwi currently on display in the nocturnal house and others in a secluded area which are part of a breeding programme. Any chicks become part of the captive breeding programme.
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|| Brown Kiwi
:: Brown Kiwi
:: Kea
:: Kereru
:: Kotuku
:: Campbell Island Teal
:: Emu
:: Brolga
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