Kiwi Bird Facts

Kiwis are flightless birds, which are natives to New Zealand. They belong to the family Apterygidae and genus Apteryx. Very little was known about these odd-looking birds, till the onset of the twentieth century. Kiwi Shoe Polish was launched in 1906 (in Melbourne) by a man, who had a New Zealand-born wife. This popularized the kiwi symbol across the globe and the bird too got international recognition.

There are five recognized species of kiwi birds. They are the great spotted kiwi or roroa (Apteryx haastii), little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii), okarito brown kiwi (Apteryx rowi), tokoeka (Apteryx australis) and north island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli). Among these five species, tokoeka (Apteryx australis) has four sub species. While, the great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii) is the largest species, the little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii) is the smallest one. Scroll down for some more kiwi bird facts.

Facts about Kiwi Birds

Kiwi birds are unique in their physical features, habitat and habits. Owing to these factors, these flightless birds are considered closer to mammals, as compared to birds. Let us take a look at some kiwi bird facts, which make these birds distinct and unique.

Physical Features: Kiwis are odd-looking birds, which lack most of the characteristic avian features. They are the smallest among the flightless birds, like, emu, ostrich, cassowary, etc. Kiwi birds resemble domestic chicken in size and almost all species are endangered. The coarse, hair-like feathers and whiskers of kiwis are mostly grayish-brown in color. These birds have no keel (an extension of the sternum, which provides an anchor to attach a bird's wing muscles) and tail. Even though they have two vestigial wings, which are covered by feathers, these appendages are useless. Female kiwis are larger, as compared to the males and lay very large eggs. In fact, their eggs are much larger in relation to their body size and in comparison to any other bird in the world. Another interesting kiwi bird fact is that they have external nostrils at the end of their bill and most of them have great sense of smell. Their legs are very strong and are adapted for burrowing. The small eyes of kiwis do not work properly in full sunlight and the ear openings are also well-developed.

Kiwi Bird Habitat and Diet: Kiwi bird is the national symbol of New Zealand. These birds are natives to this isolated island. Being natives to an isolated island and being flightless prevented the migration of these birds. Unlike other birds, they dig burrows with their strong feet. They sleep in their burrows throughout the day and search for food during night. Usually, kiwis are found in damp forests (especially subtropical and temperate podocarps and beech forests), but some species are found in grasslands too. Their eyesight is poor and they use their keen sense of smell to find worms, spiders, insects, freshwater crayfish, frogs and grubs. The long slender bill with external nostrils help them in searching food. Kiwi bird diet includes leaves, berries and seeds too. Most kiwis are carnivores, but sometimes they may turn omnivores, as they eat fruits and seeds too.

Interesting Kiwi Bird Facts

• Kiwi birds are usually nocturnal, secretive and very shy, but can smartly outrun humans. It can also fight the enemy with the strong legs, which are mainly used for kicking and slashing.
• Kiwi eggs are very large, in proportion to the weight of the adult female. It can be more than 15% of the egg-laying bird's weight and some eggs may reach one-quarter of its mother's weight.
• In most species, the responsibility of incubation is with the males, who sit on eggs for a long time. This may sometimes result in the male losing almost one-third of the body weight.
• Kiwis live in pairs and most of them mate for life. Some females may leave their mates for a more desirable one.
• The lifespan of kiwis is around 20 to 30 years.
• There are two theories behind the name 'kiwi'. One theory suggests that it is derived from the Polynesian name for the bristle-thighed curlew, the Kivi, which is a bird with long beak and possess the same feeding habits of kiwi. Another contention is that these birds are named after their shrill cry 'kee-wee kee-wee'.
• Another interesting kiwi bird fact is that the long beak is one-third the length of its body.
• The body temperature of kiwis is around 38° C, which is almost two degrees lower than that of other birds, but slightly higher than humans.

The above said is only a brief overview about some interesting kiwi bird facts. Even though, these birds existed for millions of years without any threat, the movement of settlers into the island resulted in their habitat loss. Another reason for their declining population is introduced predators, like, dogs. Many programs are underway to protect these endangered species of birds, which are on the verge of extinction.