North Island Brown Kiwi

Māori name: Kiwi

Scientific name: Apteryx mantelli

Not Threatened

The kiwi is New Zealand's most iconic bird and a national taonga. Nocturnal and flightless, it uses its long bill and extraordinary sense of smell to forage for worms, insects, and berries in the leaf litter. North Island Brown Kiwi are present in the Coromandel and benefit enormously from predator trapping. A kiwi spotted in Pāuanui is a true sign that conservation efforts are working.

Did you know?

Kiwi have the largest egg relative to body size of any bird in the world — a kiwi egg can be up to 20% of the mother's body weight. The male incubates the egg alone for up to 85 days.

Threats

Stoats are the number one killer of kiwi chicks — without predator control, fewer than 5% of kiwi chicks survive to adulthood. Dogs, ferrets, and cats also pose serious threats.

Spotted a North Island Brown Kiwi?

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