Kiwi

Kiwi is a flightless, nocturnal bird in the forests of New Zealand. The family belongs to the order of the running birds (Struthioniformes) and consists only of the extant genus Apteryx. By far the smallest representative, the kiwi is the national emblem of New Zealand. Kiwis are not only the smallest of the ratites, but also biologically, they are completely different from other families.

They are 35 – 65 inches long, 35 centimeters tall and 1-5 kilograms in weight. Females are slightly larger on average and 10 – 20 percent heavier. They have a brown plumage, which acts almost like a coat. The Kiwis are small, with four to five centimeter long wings, but cannot fly. The wings bear small claws on the ends and remain hidden under the feathers. The claws have no apparent function and are apparently rudiments.

Kiwis do not have a tail, which contributes to the fact that they have an unusual oval shape. The head of the kiwifruit is relatively small, the beak is very long and curved downward. The brown kiwi’s beak is about 20 centimeters long. It is larger in females by about 30 percent than in males. The upper beak is slightly longer than the lower mandible.

Kiwis can not see very well, but hear the better, and – a special feature among birds – their sense of smell is very good. The nostrils are at the top and not, as with most birds, at the base of the beak. On the beak Kiwis bear “bristles”, reminiscent of the vibrissae (whiskers) of mammals, but in reality are modified feathers. Another special feature is the body temperature of 38°C which is far below that of most birds (42°C) and rather resembles that of a mammal.

Voice

Because of their nocturnal and hidden way of life, the vocalizations are often the only thing people notice of kiwis. Males call more often than females, and their whistling sound in pitch and tone differs in length. The calls seem mainly in territorial defense. They are often answered by the Kiwis in neighboring districts.

Geographic range

Kiwis live in the three major islands of New Zealand: North Island; South Island and Stewart Iceland. They are also a number of small islands off the coast of New Zealand; on most of these they can be found. The original habitat of the Kiwis was the forests and high mountains.

Today they are at home in the artificially created, open shrub-covered terrain. In the mountains there are Kiwis to heights of 1,200 meters. All Kiwis need habitats with a high degree of moisture and loose ground.