FaunaHub

Kiwi (genus Apteryx)

BirdRatiteNocturnal

North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) foraging, New Zealand.

North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), New Zealand.

Image: The.Rohit, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Kiwi are small, flightless, nocturnal birds of the genus Apteryx, found only in New Zealand. Roughly chicken-sized, they are very different from their giant ratite relatives — covered in soft, hair-like feathers, with tiny vestigial wings, strong legs, and a long, slender bill with nostrils unusually placed at the tip. The animal shown here is the North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli).

A beloved national symbol of New Zealand, the kiwi is also famous for laying one of the largest eggs relative to body size of any bird.

Conservation note: several kiwi species and populations are of conservation concern, mainly because of introduced predators and habitat loss, and are the focus of intensive protection. Status varies by species, so verify specifics at iucnredlist.org.

Habitat & Range

Kiwi live in a range of New Zealand habitats — native forest, scrub, tussock grassland, and even some farmland and exotic forest — sheltering in burrows, hollow logs, or dense vegetation by day. Different species occupy different parts of the North and South Islands and nearby islands.

Diet

Kiwi forage at night, probing soil and leaf litter for earthworms, insect larvae, and other invertebrates, along with some fallen fruit and seeds. With nostrils at the tip of the bill, kiwi have an unusually good sense of smell for a bird, which helps them locate hidden prey.

Behavior

Kiwi are nocturnal and largely solitary or live in pairs, defending territories. They are best known for their enormous egg, which can be a very large fraction of the female's body weight; in many kiwi the male does much of the incubation. Their calls — including the shrill cry that gives the male his name — carry through the night forest.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Kiwi declined sharply after the arrival of introduced mammalian predators such as stoats, cats, and dogs, along with habitat loss. They are now the focus of major conservation programmes — predator control, protected reserves, and egg-rearing initiatives. For current, species-specific status, consult authoritative sources such as the IUCN Red List.

More photos of the kiwi

North Island brown kiwi showing its long bill and shaggy plumage.

North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli).

Image: Peter de Lange, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Kiwi

Why can't kiwi fly?
Kiwi are flightless ratites with tiny, vestigial wings. They evolved in New Zealand, which historically had no native land mammals, filling ground-dwelling roles elsewhere taken by mammals. Their feathers are soft and hair-like rather than suited to flight.
How big is a kiwi egg?
Remarkably large for the bird's size — a kiwi egg is one of the largest relative to body size of any bird, taking up a great deal of room inside the female before laying. In many kiwi, the male takes on much of the lengthy incubation.
Where do kiwi live?
Only in New Zealand. Different species are found across the North and South Islands and some offshore islands, in forest, scrub, tussock grassland, and other habitats, sheltering in burrows by day.
Are kiwi endangered?
Several kiwi species and populations are of conservation concern, primarily due to introduced predators and habitat loss, and are protected through intensive conservation efforts. The precise status differs by species and should be checked against current IUCN Red List data.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.