Brown kiwi

Apteryx australis

Common name:

brown kiwi (en); kiwi-castanho (pt); kiwi austral (fr); kiwi común (es); streifenkiwi (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Struthioniformes

Family Apterygidae

Range:

The brown kiwi is restricted to Fiordland in the South Island of New Zealand. They are also found in Stewart Island.

Size:

These birds are 45-55 cm long and have merely vestigial wings. Females tend to be larger than males. The females weigh 2,1-3,9 kg while the males weigh 1,6-2,8 kg.

Habitat:

Brown kiwis are found in densely vegetated habitats, mostly temperate and sub-tropical forests, scrubland and grassland. In Stewart Island they are found on sand dunes.

Diet:

These birds are nocturnal, using smell to find invertebrates in dirt. They mostly eat earthworms, coleoptera larvae, snails, spiders, centipedes and orthoptera.

Breeeding:

Brown kiwis are monogamous and pair for life. The nests are made in burrows or sheltered beneath thick vegetation, and the female typically lays just 1 egg. The male incubates the egg for 90 days. A few days after hatching the chick will exit the nest and feed on its own, but it may stay near the parents for up to 1 year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)

The brown kiwi population is estimated at 27.000 individuals. They have a restricted breeding range and are declining fast due to predation by introduced species. Cats, stoats Mustela erminea and brush-tailed possums Trichosurus vulpecula eat chicks and juveniles up to c. 1200 g, while dogs, ferrets Mustela furo and the brush-tailed possum kill juveniles and adults. The predation pressure is believed to be lower in Stewart Island, where the population is more stable.