“Me and the World” continues the theme of birds and today will talk about the Kiwi bird, you will see a photo and description below. Why they called it that, what it looks like and where it lives, what it eats and what danger threatens them - you will find answers to these questions in this article.

Don't rush to compare this bird to a fruit. Yes, there is a slight similarity - the same semicircular and similar in color, but only a little. After all, this miracle doesn’t even fly! Or maybe it’s not a bird at all? Let's take a closer look.

What kind of creature?

These birds are the national symbol of New Zealand and the indigenous Maori tribe. It is believed that the name of the birds comes from their singing, reminiscent of the following sounds: “kii-wii”, “kii-vii”. Currently, too few individuals live in the country, only five per square meter. km, so kiwis are listed in the Red Book.


Externally, New Zealand birds resemble not only the kiwi fruit, but also an ordinary chicken, small in size and without wings. No, of course there are wings, but they are so small that it is difficult to notice them until you touch the bird with your hands. Because of such small wings, birds cannot and do not know how to fly. In ancient times they had this ability and many moved to Zealand from Australia.


In the absence of normal wings and tail, it is clear that the birds cannot swim. By the way, from the outside it seems that kiwis are covered with hair, but in fact these are feathers that change several times throughout the year - molting occurs, like in animals. Therefore, the logical question arises: is this a bird or an animal?

In nature, there are 5 types of kiwi: there are large and small ones, living in the north and south. Females are larger and reach a height of up to 50 cm and a weight of up to 4 kg, while males are half that size. In shape, the body resembles another fruit - a pear, with a small head and short neck. Small eyes are not able to see well, which is compensated by an excellent sense of smell (the nostrils are located at the tip of the beak) and hearing.


The skeleton of birds is interesting - kiwis belong to the genus of ratites, and the bones are quite heavy. Widely spaced legs have 4 toes with strong claws. When kiwis run, they waddle around funny, like funny wind-up toys. Another difference from the kingdom of birds is the presence of vibrissae in kiwi - small antennae that are sensitive to the environment. And one more comparison with mammals: body temperature is almost like that of animals, about 38 degrees.


Kiwis eat worms and insects that live in the soil. And birds fish them out using their beaks and scent. The diet also includes fallen berries, seeds and fruits, mollusks and crustaceans, eels and frogs.

Character and life

Habitat: damp thickets in the forests of the island. The claws on their feet help them move well on constantly damp, swampy ground. Birds do not build nests, but prefer to live in the ground, digging holes under the roots of trees or in dense bushes. Their homes are entire labyrinths with several exits, and kiwis have a lot of such holes. They hide in such houses during the day and go out to hunt only at night: looking for food or building additional holes. At this time, the birds behave quite aggressively, especially the “men”. Walking around their large territory, they warn uninvited guests loud screams.


In one of these dwellings, the female lays one egg. Why so few, because usually there are at most two chicks in bird nests. The kiwi carries an egg that is too large in size and can hardly fit into her body - a few days before giving birth, the bird does not even eat - there is no room for food. Large white egg weighing up to 450 g. makes up a fourth of the mother's weight. Look at the photograph of the skeleton of a pregnant bird - what a huge egg is inside it.


The egg is incubated by the male, who is periodically replaced by the female so that daddy can eat and rest. Parents, caring at first, abandon the chick as soon as it gets out of the shell. For several days the baby eats the remains of the yolk, and after about a week they leave their home and begin to look for food on their own, finally adapting to life in a couple of weeks.


But not everything is so smooth for the chicks: due to the fact that their parents leave them at birth, 90% of the babies die in the first few months. Only 10% survive to sexual maturity. In total, birds live 50-60 years, creating permanent pairs for life.

In 1991, authorities began to take measures to increase the number of these birds. As a result, over the course of several years, the number surviving to adulthood increased from 5 to 60%.


Kiwis are unusual and little-studied birds due to their shyness and nocturnal lifestyle, therefore Interesting Facts You can collect information about them for a long time. Although quite a lot of pictures of wingless, flightless birds have been made.

Video

This amazing cute bird is quite unique in its kind. Kiwis are non-flying, ratite birds, small in size, weighing an average of 3.5 kg.

What does a kiwi bird look like (photo)

The common kiwi is the largest species in this order: its height is from 20 to 55 cm. Interestingly, their females are larger than males.

The bird's short-looking and strong legs are set wide apart, making the bird appear very clumsy when running. Shifting from side to side while running, it looks more like a mechanical toy. However, when searching for food, kiwi moves very slowly and often stands in one place, waiting.

Its body is pear-shaped, with a small head on a short neck. Its weight is 1.5-4 kg.

Their eyes are very small (8 mm in diameter), so they rely mainly on their more developed sense of smell and hearing. It is known that among all birds, after kiwi, only condors have a stronger sense of smell.

Structural features

Kiwi is a bird with a rather long, thin, flexible and slightly curved beak, reaching a length of 10.5 cm in males and 12 cm in females. The nostrils are at the tip of the beak (in other birds, at the base).

The language is rudimentary. The tactile organs (sensitive bristles) are located at the base of the beak. The feathers are hair-like, the legs are four-toed.

Their skeleton is not at all pneumatic. Kiwis do not have tail feathers, nor do they have a keel, but they still have rudimentary small wings (no more than 5 cm), completely invisible under the feathers.

The plumage most likely resembles long and soft wool. Therefore, the bird looks like an animal. Adding to the resemblance to fur-bearing animals are the kiwi's vibrissae (photo can be seen below) - those same sensitive antennae. This is the only bird that has them.

Its thick and strong paws have four strong claws. For all these uncharacteristic and unusual qualities for birds listed above, zoologist William Calder called this unique bird an “honorary mammal.”

Lifestyle

The most common kiwi, like most representatives of other species of this order, live in damp and dense forests, leading a mainly nocturnal lifestyle.
Their nests are a flat platform, located in the middle of the roots or in heavily dense bushes.

They usually lay one egg, but sometimes two. Their eggs are quite large, reaching 135 mm in length and 84 mm in width, weighing approximately 500 g, which is approximately 1/4 of the female’s own weight. Their shell is quite thick, white. Surprisingly, the eggs are incubated by the male (42 to 50 days).
For the first six days, the chick sits in the nest without feeding.

Kiwi is a bird that hides in the dense thickets of the forest during the day and searches for food at night using its well-developed sense of smell. Their main food is worms and other invertebrates obtained from the soil.

The number of species of these birds is decreasing, and their habitat is also decreasing. This is due to the appearance of new animals on the islands (cats, weasels, dogs, etc.). Also, massive deforestation and uprooting of forests has a strong impact on the reduction in the number of these unique birds. Kiwis are now under protection.

Spreading

They are distributed mainly on two islands of New Zealand. Since 1921, the kiwi is an important bird and is protected by law. Existing large forest reserves are of great importance for the protection of this bird species.

The most widespread is the common kiwi (Apteryx australis), which is found throughout New Zealand, and also on Stewart Island.

And in the south of New Zealand there is also a small (Apteryx oweni) - southern kiwi, which differs from the first in its smaller size and slightly noticeable stripes in its plumage.

Housing, behavior

These birds live mainly in evergreen damp forests. Thanks to their long toes, they are able to avoid getting bogged down in marshy, soft ground. In total, there are about 4-5 of these birds per 1 square kilometer in the areas most populated by them. As noted above, their lifestyle is exclusively nocturnal or twilight.

During the daytime, the kiwi hides in a hole it has dug, under tree roots or in a hollow. The burrows of the largest of them are a large labyrinth with several exits, while other species have burrows with only one exit. Moreover, in one area, a kiwi can have about 50 shelters, which it changes almost every day.

Sometimes kiwis camouflage the nest by covering the entrance with leaves and various twigs. They leave their shelter during the day only in case of danger.

At night these birds are unrecognizable; they become aggressive, especially the male - he can fiercely defend his nest site, which sometimes occupies up to 100 hectares. Fights among these birds can even end in death due to the kiwi's strong legs and beak. This is a rather dangerous weapon they have. But such serious fights between these birds are very rare.

A change in ownership of a site usually occurs after the natural death of a male. Screams are used to indicate the boundaries of areas. Their screams can be heard several kilometers away at night.

Kiwi bird, interesting facts about the attitude of local residents towards them

Local residents love these amazing birds very much. They protect them and show great care.

Many sculptures created in honor of the kiwi can be seen around the area. Special road signs on the roads warn of their possible habitats.

Local residents (aboriginals) blame Europeans for the decrease in the number of birds, although it is known from history that when Europeans reached the islands, the inhabitants of these territories heavily hunted kiwi, as they have quite tasty and nutritious meat. It is also known that the skins of these birds were used in the manufacture of leather clothing.

All this happened once upon a time. Now the kiwi (bird) is surrounded by great attention and care.
There are kiwiarni in New Zealand - buildings from where you can watch birds.
These structures can be seen everywhere. Numerous tourists visit them with pleasure. But there is one negative point - kiwis rest during the day, but at night they are very difficult to see.

This cute fluffy bird is the unofficial national emblem of New Zealand, as well as a favorite symbol of the culture of this country, found on coins, various postage stamps, etc.

Kiwi is a joke nickname for the locals themselves. And the New Zealand plant (fruit) kiwi received the same name for the close similarity of the shape of the fruit (pubescent) with the shape of a bird.

The kiwi bird is one of the most amazing creatures inhabiting our planet. For many, its name evokes an association with the fruit of the same name. What do he and birds have in common? Why did zoologist William Calder call these birds “honorary mammals”? Where can you meet these unique creatures? The answers to these questions, as well as some interesting facts about kiwi, are in this article.

What does a bird look like?

By size of kiwi you can compare to regular chicken. Her body is covered with feathers, which are more like thick animal fur. The light brown or gray plumage actually looks like the furry skin of a kiwi fruit. By the way, it was in honor of the bird that the fruit was named, and not vice versa.

The feathered kiwi has a somewhat pear-shaped body and a small head on a short neck. Body weight – from 1.5 to 4 kg. Females weigh more than males - this is due to the need to bear eggs.

Can the kiwi bird fly? No, because the vestigial wings, which are only 5 cm long, are not suitable for flight. However, they have not lost the habit of hiding their beak under the wing during sleep and rest.

This feathered creature has no tail. Besides this, there are other features that make it more like an animal than a bird:

  • body temperature 38 °C is close to the body temperature of mammals (in birds 40-42 °C);
  • At the base of the beak there are vibrissae - thin long mustache, performing the function of smell.

So who is this: bird or animal? Kiwi has a beak and four-toed legs - these signs indicate that it is still a bird. The legs are distinguished by sharp claws, short and strong. Thanks to them, the bird confidently stays on swampy soil. The beak is long and thin, sometimes curved, and its length on average is about 10-12 cm.

The wingless bird's vision is poorly developed - tiny eyes less than a centimeter in diameter are proof of this. This deficiency is compensated by well-developed hearing and sense of smell. Among birds, kiwis are second only to condors in their sense of smell. In addition to whiskers, there is one more interesting feature: The nostrils are located at the tip of the beak, and not at its base, like in all other birds.

Where does it live?

The kiwi bird is endemic to New Zealand. This means that she lives here and nowhere else in the world. Damp evergreen forests and swamps are its habitual habitat. In places most densely populated by these birds, there are only 4-5 individuals per square kilometer.

Lifestyle and nutrition

It is not so easy to meet kiwi in nature - the birds prefer a nocturnal lifestyle. During the day they sit out in various holes and hollows, under the roots of trees. It should be noted that they are very careful and behave like real partisans. Thus, they do not use a freshly dug hole for shelter, but patiently wait for several weeks until it is overgrown with grass and moss, or they themselves disguise the entrance with branches and leaves.

In their territorial area, birds have about fifty such shelters and change them every day. The territorial division is very clear; the boundaries of the kiwi's territory are marked by loud cries that are heard at night.

Cautious and secretive quiet creatures become active and aggressive at night. Males defend the boundaries of their territory from competitors, although fights between kiwis are quite rare. The first impression that the kiwi makes with its appearance - an awkward and slow bird - turns out to be wrong. During the night they manage to cover their entire territory - and this is an area from 2 to 100 hectares!

Half an hour after sunset, the birds go in search of food. Their prey is insects, earthworms, and mollusks, which they sniff out in the ground, plunging their long beak into it. Birds also do not refuse fallen berries and fruits.

Reproduction

Mating season lasts from June to March. Birds are monogamous by nature: pairs remain for 2-3 mating seasons, and sometimes throughout life.

The main mission of the female is to lay one egg. But what! The egg weighs 500 g, which is about a quarter of the weight of the bird itself. According to this indicator, kiwi is the record holder among birds. And this is not the last record - the share of yolk in an egg is 65, which is much more than that of other birds (up to 40%).

During the entire gestation period, the female increases her diet three times. This is due to the fact that in the last few days before laying an egg she will starve - the body simply there will be no room for food! But it is the male who incubates the egg. He leaves the nest only for a couple of hours to have a snack - sometimes the female replaces him during this time.

The incubation period takes about 80 days. Since the egg’s shell is quite thick, in order to get out of it, the chick has to try and actively work with its legs and beak. This takes him 2-3 days. Kiwi chicks are born with feathers, and not covered with down, as is the case with other birds. This makes the chicks look like adults.

Kiwis can hardly be called caring parents - they leave the chick immediately after birth. During the first week after birth, the chick does not search for food, but feeds on subcutaneous yolk reserves. After some time, when the chick is one and a half to two weeks old, he is already looking for his own food.

At first, the chicks feed only during the day, gradually switching to a nocturnal lifestyle. All this makes small birds vulnerable and easy prey for predatory animals. About 90% of young individuals do not survive to the age of six months.

Chicks grow to the size of an adult only by 4-5 years. But furry birds live long, V wildlife up to 50-60 years old - this indicator can be the envy of many other birds.

Kiwi population

Due to the secretive lifestyle of kiwis, it is almost impossible to meet them in their natural habitat. For this reason, the rapid decline in their numbers was unknown for a long time. But just a thousand years ago their population numbered about 12 million individuals, and in 2004 - only 70 thousand.

Nature has endowed these unusual birds with high abilities to adapt to changes environment. However, deforestation and predators brought to New Zealand by Europeans - cats, dogs and weasels - have done their job.

In total, there are 5 species in the kiwi genus - all of them listed in the International Red Book:

  • Southern, or common, kiwi;
  • Northern brown kiwi;
  • Large gray kiwi;
  • Small gray kiwi;

In 1991, a government program for the restoration of kiwi fruit was launched. Predator control and captive breeding of kiwi have been proposed as protective measures.

Scientists have also proposed develop a deodorant for kiwi. The fact is that their feathers have a specific mushroom smell, by which birds are easily found by predators.

Interesting facts and information

Hairy and wingless, unlike other birds in many ways - this is the kiwi bird. Interesting facts associated with her serve as proof of her originality:

That's what she is, kiwi - unique creature, combining the features of both birds and animals.




Kiwi bird very curious: she cannot fly, she has loose, hair-like feathers, strong legs and no tail. The bird has many strange and wonderful characteristics that have evolved from its isolation and the absence of mammals in its territory. It is believed that kiwi have evolved to occupy habitats and lifestyles that would not be possible in other parts of the world due to the presence of mammalian predators.

Origin of the species and description

Kiwi is a plant that is found in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae. Its size is approximately that of a domestic chicken. The genus name Apteryx comes from the ancient Greek "without wing". This is the smallest ratite living on Earth.

DNA sequence comparisons have led to the surprising conclusion that kiwis are much more closely related to the extinct Malagasy elephant birds than to the moa, with which they coexisted in New Zealand. In addition, they have much in common with emus and cassowaries.

Video: Kiwi bird

Research published in 2013 on the extinct genus Proapteryx, known from Miocene deposits, found that it was smaller and likely had the ability to fly, supporting the hypothesis that the ancestors of the kiwi bird reached New Zealand independently of moa, which by the time When kiwis appeared, they were already large and wingless. Scientists believe that the ancestors of today's kiwis ended up in New Zealand traveling from Australasia about 30 million years ago, and maybe earlier.

Some linguists attribute the word kiwi to the migratory bird Numenius tahitiensis, which winters on the tropical islands. With its long, curved beak and brown body, it resembles a kiwi. So when the first Polynesians arrived in New Zealand, they applied the word kiwi to the newly discovered bird.

Interesting fact: The kiwi is recognized as the symbol of New Zealand. This association is so strong that the term Kiwi is used internationally.

The kiwi egg is one of the largest in terms of body size (up to 20% of the female's weight). This is the highest rate of any bird species in the world. Other unique adaptations of the kiwi, such as their hair-like feathers, short and strong legs, and the use of nostrils to detect prey before it even sees it, have helped the bird become world famous.

Appearance and features

Their adaptations are extensive: like all other ratites (, rheas and cassowaries), their vestigial wings are extremely small, so that they are invisible under the hairy, bristly feathers. While adults have bones with hollow insides, to minimize weight to make flight feasible, kiwis have Bone marrow, like in mammals.

Female brown kiwis carry and lay one egg, which can weigh up to 450 g. The beak is long, pliable and sensitive to touch. The kiwi has no tail, and the stomach is weak, the cecum is elongated and narrow. Kiwis rely little on vision to survive and find food. The kiwi's eyes are very small in relation to its body mass, resulting in the smallest visual field of view. They are nocturnal, but rely primarily on their other senses (hearing, smell, and somatosensory system).

Research has shown that one third of New Zealand's population had lesions in one or both eyes. In the same experiment, three specific samples were observed that showed complete blindness. Scientists found that they were in good physical condition. A 2018 study found that the kiwi's closest relatives, the extinct elephant birds, also shared this trait, despite their enormous size. The kiwi's temperature is 38 °C, which is lower than that of other birds and closer to that of mammals.

Where does the kiwi bird live?

Kiwis are endemic to New Zealand. They live in damp evergreens. The elongated toes help the bird not to get stuck in the ground. In the most populated areas there are 4-5 birds per 1 km².

By type of kiwi they are distributed as follows:

  • The great gray kiwi (A. haastii or Roroa) is the largest species, standing about 45 cm tall and weighing about 3.3 kg (males about 2.4 kg). It has gray-brown plumage with light stripes. The female lays only one egg, which is then incubated by both parents. Habitats are located in the mountainous regions of north-west Nelson, and can also be found on the north-west coast and southern New Zealand;
  • Lesser spotted kiwi (A. owenii) These birds are unable to withstand predation by introduced pigs, leading to their extinction on the mainland. They have been living on Kapiti Island for 1350 years. It was brought to other islands without predators. An obedient bird 25 cm high;
  • Rowi or Okarito brown kiwi (A. rowi), first identified as the new kind in 1994. Distribution is limited to a small area on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has a grayish tint to the plumage. Females lay up to three eggs per season, each in a separate nest. The male and female incubate together;
  • Southern, brown, or common kiwi (A. australis) Is a relatively common species. Its size is almost identical to that of the Great Spotted Kiwi. Similar to the brown kiwi, but has lighter plumage. Lives on the coast of the South Island. Has several subspecies;
  • Northern brown species (A. mantelli). Widely distributed across two-thirds of the North Island, with 35,000 remaining individuals, it is the most common kiwi. Females are about 40 cm tall and weigh about 2.8 kg, males - 2.2 kg. Brown color

The northern kiwi shows remarkable resilience, adapting to a wide range of habitats. The plumage is striped brownish-red and spiny. The female usually lays two eggs, which are incubated by the male.

What does the kiwi bird eat?

Kiwi birds. Their stomach contains sand and small stones that help in the digestion process. Because kiwis live in a variety of habitats, from mountain slopes to exotic pine forests, it is difficult to define a typical kiwi diet.

Most of their food is invertebrates, with a favorite being native worms that grow up to 0.5 meters. Luckily, New Zealand is rich in worms, with 178 native and exotic species to choose from.

  • In addition, kiwi is eaten:
  • berries;
  • various seeds;
  • larvae;

The diet of kiwis is closely related to their reproduction. Birds need to build up large nutritional reserves to successfully complete the breeding season. Brown kiwis also feed on mushrooms and. They are known to catch and eat. In captivity, one kiwi caught eels/tuna from a pond, immobilized them with a few blows, and ate them.

Kiwi can get all the water its body needs from food—succulent earthworms are 85% water. This adaptation means they can live in dry places such as Kapiti Island. Being nocturnal also helps them adapt so they don't overheat or dehydrate in the sun. When a kiwi bird drinks, it plunges its beak, throws back its head and gurgles in the water.

Features of character and lifestyle

Kiwis are nocturnal birds, like many of New Zealand's native animals. Their sounds pierce the forest air at dusk and dawn. The kiwi's nocturnal habits may be the result of predators, including humans, entering their habitat. In protected areas where there are no predators, kiwi are often found daylight. They prefer subtropical and temperate forests, but life circumstances force the birds to adapt to different habitats, such as subalpine shrubland, grasslands and mountains.

Kiwis have a highly developed sense of smell, unusual for a bird, and are the only birds with nostrils at the end of their long beaks. Because their nostrils are located at the end of their long beaks, kiwis can detect insects and worms underground using their keen sense of smell without actually seeing or hearing them. The birds are very territorial and have razor-sharp claws that can cause some damage to an attacker. According to kiwi researcher Dr John McLennan, one remarkable spotted kiwi in the North West region called Pete is notorious for using a "catapult hit and run" approach. He jumps up on your leg, pushes off, and then runs off into the underbrush.”

Kiwis have excellent memories and can remember unpleasant incidents for at least five years. During the day, birds hide in a hollow, hole, or under roots. The burrows of the great gray kiwi are labyrinths with several exits. The bird has up to 50 shelters in its area. The kiwi settles into the hole after a few weeks, waiting until the entrance is disguised by overgrown grass and moss. It happens that kiwis deliberately hide their nest, masking the entrance with twigs and leaves.

Social structure and reproduction

Male and female Kiwis live their entire lives as a monogamous pair. During the mating season, from June to March, the pair meets in the burrow once every three days. These relationships can last up to 20 years. They stand out from other birds in that they have a functioning pair of ovaries. (In many birds and the platypus, the right ovary never matures, so only the left one is functional.) Kiwi eggs can weigh up to one-quarter the weight of the female.Usually only one egg is laid per season.

Interesting fact: The kiwi lays some of the largest eggs proportionate to the size of any bird in the world, so although the kiwi is the size of a domestic chicken, it can lay eggs that are approximately six times the size of a chicken egg.

The eggs are smooth in texture and ivory or greenish-white in color. The male incubates the egg, except for the great spotted kiwi, A. haastii, where in incubation both parents participate. The incubation period lasts approximately 63–92 days. Producing a huge egg places significant physiological stress on the female. During the thirty days required to raise a fully developed egg, the female must eat three times her usual amount of food. Two to three days before egg-laying begins, there is little room inside the female for her stomach and she is forced to fast.

Natural enemies of the kiwi bird

New Zealand is a country of birds; before people settled on its territory, there were no warm-blooded mammalian predators. This is now the main threat to the survival of kiwi, as introduced human predators contribute to the death of eggs, chicks and adults.

The main culprits behind the population decline are:

  • stoats and cats, which cause great damage to young chicks during the first three months of their life;
  • they hunt adult birds and this is bad for the kiwi population, because without them there are no eggs or chicks to maintain the population;
  • they also kill adult kiwis;
  • they kill both adult kiwis and chicks, destroy eggs and steal kiwi nests;
  • destroy eggs and can also kill adult kiwis.

Other animal pests, such as , and , may not kill kiwis, but they also cause problems. Firstly, they compete for the same food as kiwis. Secondly, they are prey to the same animals that attack kiwis, helping to maintain a large number of predators.

Interesting fact: Kiwi feathers have a specific smell, like a mushroom one. This makes them extremely vulnerable to the land-based predators native to New Zealand, which can easily detect these birds by scent.

In areas where kiwi predators are intensively controlled, kiwi hatching increases to 50 - 60%. To maintain population levels, a bird survival rate of 20% is required, no matter what exceeds this. Thus, control is of utmost importance, especially when dog owners keep their dogs under control.

Population and species status

There are about 70,000 kiwis left in all of New Zealand. On average, 27 kiwis are killed by predators every week. This reduces the number of kiwis by about 1,400 each year (or 2%). At this rate, the kiwi could disappear within our lifetime. Just a hundred years ago, kiwis numbered in the millions. One homeless dog can wipe out an entire kiwi population in a matter of days.

Approximately 20% of the kiwi population is found in protected areas. In areas where predators are controlled, 50-60% of chicks survive. Where areas are uncontrolled, 95% of kiwi die before reaching breeding age. To increase the population, only 20% survival of chicks is sufficient. Proof of success is the population on the Coromandel, a predator-controlled area, where the number of individuals doubles every ten years.

Interesting fact: Risks to small kiwi populations include loss of genetic diversity, inbreeding and vulnerability to local natural events such as fires, disease or increased predators.

Decreased chances of finding a mate in a declining, small population can also lead to lower reproductive rates. The Maori people traditionally believe that the kiwi was under the protection of the god of the forest. Previously, birds were used for food and feathers for making ceremonial cloaks. Nowadays, although kiwi feathers are still used by local people, they are collected from birds that die naturally, as a result of road accidents or due to predators. Kiwi are no longer hunted, and some Maori consider themselves custodians of the birds.

Kiwi bird conservation

There are five recognized species of this animal, four of which are currently listed as vulnerable and one of which is critically endangered. All species have been negatively affected by historical deforestation, but the remaining large areas of their forest habitat are now well protected in nature reserves and national parks. Currently, the greatest threat to their survival is predation by invasive mammals.

Three species are listed internationally and have Vulnerable (vulnerable) status, and the new species Rowie or Okarito brown kiwi- is in danger of extinction. In 2000, the Department of Conservation established five kiwi sanctuaries, focused on developing methods to protect kiwis and increasing their numbers. Brown kiwi were introduced to Hawke's Bay between 2008 and 2011, which in turn led to captive-bred chicks that were released back into their native Maungatani forest.

Operation Nest Egg is a program to remove kiwi eggs and chicks from the wild and hatch or raise them in captivity until the chicks are large enough to fend for themselves - usually when they weigh 1200g. After that Kiwi bird return to the wild. Such chicks have a 65% chance of surviving to adulthood. Efforts to protect the kiwi bird last years had some success, and in 2017 the IUCN removed the two species from the endangered and vulnerable list.

Kiwi (Arteryx) is the only representative of the genus of ratites from the family of the same name (Arterygidae) and the order of kiwilike birds, or wingless birds (Arterygiformes). The genus includes five species that are endemic to New Zealand. The bird is a fairly close relative of cassowaries and emus.

Description of the kiwi bird

Kiwi is a symbol of New Zealand, and the image of this bird can be found on stamps and coins. The appearance and habits of the kiwi are so amazing and significantly different from the description and behavioral characteristics of other birds that zoologist William Calder called such bright representatives of the Arterygidae family “honorary mammals.”

Appearance

Kiwis are flightless ratites. The size of such an adult bird is very small, no more than the size of an ordinary chicken. Kiwi is characterized by sexual dimorphism, and females are always noticeably larger than males. The body of the bird is pear-shaped. The head is small, located on a short neck. Average weight The body weight of an adult can vary between 1.4-4.0 kg.

The kiwi is characterized by the greatest reduction in wings compared to all living birds. The length of the wings does not exceed 50 mm, so they are practically invisible under the well-developed plumage. However, kiwis have retained the birdlike habit of hiding their beaks under their wings when resting.

This is interesting! The surface of the bird's body is evenly covered with soft feathers of grayish or light brown color, more similar to their appearance on wool. Kiwis do not have a tail. The bird's legs are four-toed, quite short and very strong, equipped with sharp claws. The skeleton is represented by heavy bones.

Kiwi is a bird that relies mainly not on its vision, which is provided by small eyes, but on very well-developed hearing and a pronounced sense of smell. The bird has a very long, flexible, thin and straight or slightly curved beak, which in an adult male can reach a length of 9.5-10.5 cm. The length of the female’s beak is slightly longer, and is about 11.0-12.0 cm. Kiwis have a reduced language. Near the base of the beak there are organs of touch, represented by sensitive bristles or vibrissae.

The normal body temperature of kiwi is 38°C, which is about a couple of degrees lower than this parameter in many other bird species. This level is more typical of the body temperature of most mammals. It should be noted that kiwi plumage has a very specific and strongly pronounced odor, vaguely reminiscent of a mushroom aroma.

This is interesting! The kiwi's nostrils open at the end of the beak, while in other bird species they are located at the very base of the beak.

It is thanks to this feature that the bird is very vulnerable to many terrestrial predators that can easily find kiwi by smell.

Lifestyle and character

The kiwi's preferred natural habitat is damp and evergreen forest areas. Due to the presence of fairly long toes, such a bird cannot get stuck in marshy soils. Most populated areas characterized by the presence about four or five birds for every square kilometer of area. Kiwis are exclusively nocturnal or crepuscular.

During the daytime, kiwis try to hide in specially dug holes, hollows or under the surface roots of plants. For example, a large gray kiwi is capable of digging a hole, which is a real labyrinth with several exits and entrances at once. In its territorial area, an adult individual often has about five dozen shelters, which change daily.

A dug hole is occupied by birds only a few weeks after its construction.. During this time period, mossy and herbaceous vegetation grows very well, which serves as an excellent camouflage for entering the shelter. Sometimes the kiwi very carefully camouflages its nest, specially covering the entrance part with foliage and collected twigs.

During the daytime, the bird is able to leave its shelter only in case of approaching danger. At night the bird is incredibly mobile, so it manages to cover the entire area of ​​its territory.

The bird is secretive and very timid during the daytime, but with the onset of night it becomes quite aggressive. Kiwi belongs to the category of territorial birds, therefore the mating pair, and especially the male, fiercely defends its nesting area from any competing individuals.

Dangerous weapons, in this case, are strong and well-developed legs, as well as a long beak. There are known cases when a fight between competing birds ended in death for one of the individuals.

This is interesting! However, very serious and bloody fights between adult kiwis occur quite rarely, and to protect the boundaries of the territory, birds prefer to use a loud cry, clearly audible at a distance of several kilometers.

How long does a kiwi live?

In the wild, the life expectancy of kiwi does not exceed a couple of decades. If properly kept in captivity, such a bird is quite capable of living for thirty years, and sometimes even half a century.

Range and habitats

The natural habitat of kiwi is the territory of New Zealand. The Northern kiwi or Arteryx mantelli is found in the North Island, and birds belonging to such varieties as the common or A. australis, rovi or A. rowi and the great gray kiwi or A. haasti, inhabit the South Island en masse. Individuals are also found on Kapiti Island.

Nutrition and production of kiwi

The kiwi prefers to hunt at night, so this bird comes out of its hiding place in search of prey about half an hour after the sun drops below the horizon. The basis of the diet of Arteryx representatives is a variety of insects and worms, as well as any molluscs, small amphibians and not too large crustaceans.

This is interesting! The kiwi seeks out prey with the help of its well-developed sense of smell and good sense of touch, and such a bird can easily smell food by sticking its long beak deep into the soil.

For feeding purposes, birds are also able to use plant foods, willingly eating fruits or berries.

Reproduction and offspring

Kiwi belongs to the category of monogamous birds. As a rule, family bird pairs are formed for about two or three mating seasons, but sometimes even for life. Territorial birds fiercely defend their entire nesting territory from other relatives or competitors. The birds meet in their nesting burrow approximately twice a week, and also call to each other quite loudly as night falls. The mating season occurs from June to the first ten days of March.

The female kiwi lays one or a pair of eggs in a pre-arranged burrow or under the root system of moles. During the period of gestation, the female is able to consume approximately two to three times more food than outside the mating season.

A couple of days before laying eggs, the bird stops feeding, which is due to the egg being too large and taking up too much space in the body. Another interesting fact is that it is not the female, but the male kiwi who incubates the eggs. Sometimes, especially during the feeding period, the male is briefly replaced by the female.

The average incubation period is just under three months. The hatching process lasts a couple of days, during which the chick actively tries to break the shell with its beak and paws. Once born, kiwi chicks have already feathered wings, due to which they are very similar to adults. As observations show, immediately after the birth of the chicks, the parent couple leaves their offspring.

During the first three days, only subcutaneous yolk reserves are responsible for feeding the chicks. One-week-old kiwi chicks are able to leave their nest, and at the age of two weeks, the growing kiwi offspring are already actively trying to find food for themselves.

This is interesting! During the first month and a half, kiwi chicks feed exclusively during the daytime, and only then switch to a nocturnal lifestyle, which is normal for this bird species.

Young birds are almost completely defenseless, so almost 65-70% of juveniles become victims of all kinds of predators. The development of chicks is quite slow, and kiwis will become fully adult and sexually mature closer to the age of five years. Males of Arteryx reach sexual maturity at the age of one and a half years.

Females acquire the ability to reproduce somewhat later, at about two or three years, but sometimes even at five years, and the peculiarity of such a bird is the presence of a pair of functioning ovaries. Throughout her life, a female kiwi can lay about a hundred eggs.