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Morphology

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Kiwis are pear-shaped, flightless birds that possess rudimentary wing structures. They have small heads and necks, with long, slender bills that are excellent for capturing insects and other small prey; the base of the bill is surrounded by cat-like wiskers. Kiwis have a powerful sense of smell, and rely primarily on their nostrils, rather than eyes for hunting. Kiwis also have excellent hearing; their ears are so well developed that they can be seen easily through the head feathers.

The bird's plumage is composed of extremely soft, hairlike feathers, which have no aftershafts; the texture is comparable to the fur of a rodent, rather than the feathers of a bird. The plumage is mottled charcoal gray to light brown.

Kiwis have extremely powerful legs and claws, these structures are used for defensive and offensive behavior; the birds are fast runners and also fierce fighters when necessary.

Kiwis have an average body temperature of 100 degrees F, much closer to that of a human being than to other birds. Kiwis also have heavy, marrow-filled bones, unlike their airborne relatives.

Overall, kiwis are considered very un-birdlike oddities; in fact, zoologist William Calder refers to them as 'honorary mammals'.

In terms of size and weight, distinct sexual dimorphism exists between males and females of this species. Males are usually 2.5 to 3 kg and 45 cm in height, with a bill length of 95 to 105mm. Females weigh 3.5 to 4 kg, are about 50 cm tall and have a bill length of 110 to 120 mm.

Range mass: 2.5 to 4 kg.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Habitat

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Kiwis reside mainly in the alpine and subalpine areas of northwest New Zealand. Efforts to introduce the birds to other habitats outside of this small region have never been successful.

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; mountains

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Distribution

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The great spotted kiwi is indigenous to South Island, New Zealand. They are found in the snow-covered peaks, mountain forests, and alpine tussockland west of the Main Divide from Tasman Bay to south Westland.

Biogeographic Regions: australian (Native )

Other Geographic Terms: island endemic

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Trophic Strategy

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Kiwis are exclusively nocturnal; they begin their nightly hunt for food approximately 30 minutes after sunset. The birds consume insects, snails, spiders, earthworms, crayfish and fallen fruits and berries. They sense prey by tapping the ground with their sensitive beaks and sniffing the earth while walking silently through the brush. To capture underground insects, these birds shove their beaks deep into the ground while stabbing back and forth.

Animal Foods: insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods; mollusks; terrestrial worms

Plant Foods: fruit

Primary Diet: omnivore

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Behavior

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Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

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Due to the kiwis' general shyness and nocturnal behavior, few New Zealand residents have encountered their national mascot in the wild. It is no wonder then that the human population was ignorant of the drastic decline in kiwi population over the past several hundred years. Approximately 1,000 years ago, an estimated 12 million kiwis roamed the forests of New Zealand; in 1996 biologists discovered that the population had dwindled away to less than 70,000 birds. Until recently, kiwis were disappearing at a rate of 6% per year; this drop is due almost entirely to predation by stoats, weasels and ferrets -- non-indigenous animals which were introduced to New Zealand by European settlers near the turn of the 20th century. At this point, efforts are being made to recover kiwi populations all over New Zealand; in 1991 the Kiwi Recovery Programme was launched. The efforts of this program have resulted in a promising rise in the number of kiwi chicks that survive to adulthood; from 5% survival rate in 1991 to 60% since 1998. Strategies used to repopulate the region have included breeding in captivity, but scientists are discovering that elimination of the introduced predators has been the most important factor. Kiwis are incredibly hardy animals, who reproduce constantly; they are susceptable to few natural illnesses and are able to withstand drastic environmental conditions. With luck and continued efforts on the part of conservationists, it is hoped that the kiwi will remain a part of New Zealand for many years to come. An essential aspect of the recovery program is public awareness and support ( http://www.kiwirecovery.org.nz/).

US Migratory Bird Act: no special status

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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There are no known negative effects of kiwis on humans.

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Benefits

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Kiwis are a beloved symbol of New Zealand culture, although they are rarely seen by humans. At home and abroad, New Zealanders are known as 'kiwis'. No other creature has given its name both to a nation's inhabitants and its cultural identity so completely as the kiwi bird. Commercially, the animal's image is used to sell New Zealand to the rest of the world. The kiwi appears on postage stamps, coin backs, and corporate logos; it promotes breakfast cereals, the national lottery, and an airline. The kiwi is a popular mascot as well as being a financially significant part of New Zealand's business and tourism industries.

Positive Impacts: ecotourism

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Reproduction

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Kiwis are strictly monogamous birds; they usually pair off for at least 2-3 breeding seasons, sometimes for life.

Mating System: monogamous

Breeding takes place during late autumn, and the gestation period before egg-laying is about one month. A characteristic which distinguishes great spotted kiwis from all other kiwi species is the ability to produce only one egg in a year. Northern brown kiwis can produce up to six eggs in a year, while the great spotted kiwi's egg requires so much energy to produce that it is only possible once a year. The egg takes anywhere from 75 to 85 days to hatch, and the chick spends 2 to 3 days simply trying to extricate itself from the shell. During the first 3 days of life, the chick's belly is so distended by its yolk sac that movement is impossible. For the first 6 weeks of life, a chick may feed during daylight hours, but after this time it becomes exclusively nocturnal. Kiwi chicks are defenseless until they reach a weight of about 1.75 pounds, which takes 17 to 20 weeks; before this time, most chicks are killed by predators such as stoats and weasels. Kiwi growth continues until the sixth year of life, but sexual maturity has been reported as early as two years of age in females and fourteen months in males. Unlike many other birds, female kiwis have a pair of functioning ovaries, rather than just one.

Range eggs per season: 1 (high) .

Range time to hatching: 75 to 85 days.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous

Egg production is an exhausting process for the females; they will produce a single egg that reaches 1/4 their body mass. Females cannot eat while gestating, because the egg takes up so much space within the body; therefore, they must use stored fat accumulated over a period of five months previous to fertilization to create the large, nutrient-rich egg. Gestation is uncomfortable for the mother, and generally movement is very restricted during this time. In order to relieve the inflammation and discomfort caused by gestation, a female kiwi will often soak her abdomen in cool puddles when she ventures out of the burrow. After the egg is layed, males are responsible for incubation. They will leave the egg only to hunt for a few hours during the night; at this time the females guard the egg. Kiwis are precocial birds, emerging from the egg looking like miniature adults; after hatching, chicks are abandoned by the parents and within ten days it begins to hunt for food outside the burrow.

Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female)

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Matherly, C. 2000. "Apteryx haastii" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Apteryx_haastii.html
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Carrie Matherly, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Biology

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Kiwis are strictly monogamous, usually pairing for at least two to three breeding seasons, sometimes for life (2). These birds are extremely territorial and, once mating pairs form, the nesting region is fiercely defended, usually by vocal displays but occasionally by physical battles (2) (4). Males are particularly aggressive towards intruders and are capable of inflicting fatal wounds with their powerful feet and legs, but serious injuries and death are rare and territories seldom change 'ownership' unless the resident male dies naturally or is crippled. Within these territories kiwis may have up to 100 different excavated burrows and usually use a different one each day for shelter (2). However, unlike other kiwi species, the great spotted kiwi prefers dens to simple burrows, constructing tunnels several metres long and with more than one exit (4). Most breeding takes place in spring. The great spotted kiwi only produces one enormous egg per clutch, reaching up to 15% of the female's body mass (4). The egg takes up so much space that the females cannot generally eat during the last few days before laying, so must accumulate a store of fat beforehand (2). The advantage is that this large, nutrient-rich egg produces fully-feathered young at an advanced stage of development, quickly able to take care of themselves (2) (5). The egg is incubated by both parents (4) for about 70 days, and within ten days of hatching the chick begins to hunt for food unaccompanied outside the nest, but returns to the nest each day for three to four weeks (5). The chick may feed during the day for the first six weeks of life, but then becomes exclusively nocturnal. Kiwis set out on their hunt for food about 30 minutes after sunset, in search of insects, snails, spiders, earthworms, crayfish, fallen fruits and berries on which to feed (2) (5). Prey is found by the birds tapping the ground with their beaks and sniffing the earth, followed by plunging their beaks deep into the soil, stabbing back and forth to catch underground quarry (2).
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Conservation

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Awareness and concern for kiwi welfare has grown in recent years and, in 1991, the Kiwi Recovery Programme was launched, through which strategies such as predator control have benefited this and other kiwi species (2) (5). These unusual birds are also intensively monitored using call-counts, specially-trained dogs searching for banded birds, and radio-tracking (5). No other animal has been so linked to a country's cultural identity as the kiwi bird, and with continued efforts by dedicated conservationists, the kiwi should hopefully remain a celebrated icon of New Zealand for many years to come (2).
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Description

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The national symbol of New Zealand and its people, the kiwi is both a cultural icon and a biological oddity (4). The five kiwi species are unusual, pear-shaped, flightless birds (2) that have evolved in the absence of any native mammals and therefore developed features that help it occupy a mammalian niche, to the extent that the bird has been referred to as an 'honorary mammal' (4). The skin is tough and leathery, the feathers like hair and the rudimentary, indistinct wings end in a cat-like claw (2) (4). The kiwi is one of the few birds with a highly-developed sense of smell and the only bird in the world with external nostrils at the tip of its beak (2) (4). The large feet have fleshy footpads and mean that it can walk almost silently (4), and the long, slender bill is excellent for capturing insects and other prey (2). As its name suggests, the great spotted kiwi is New Zealand's largest kiwi species (4), and has a light greyish-brown plumage mottled with white (5).
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Habitat

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Found in a variety of habitats, including tussock grassland, damp, mossy beech forests, dry, alluvial podocarp and hardwood forest, and scrub-covered coastal pasture, from sea level up to 1,500 m, but mainly in the subalpine zone of 700 to 1,100 m (5).
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Range

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Confined to the South Island of New Zealand, where populations remain in three main, discrete areas: north-western Nelson to Buller River, Northern West Coast, and the Southern Alps between Arthur's Pass and Lake Sumner (3) (4). A fourth population has also been established at Lake Rotoiti Mainland Island in Nelson Lakes National Park (4).
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Status

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Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List 2006 (1).
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Threats

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The introduction of mammalian predators to New Zealand is the primary cause of decline of the kiwi, and has now placed New Zealand's national icon in grave danger (2) (4). The drop in numbers of great spotted kiwis is due to habitat loss, predation of chicks and juveniles by mustelids (Mustela spp.), particularly stoats, nest predation by the brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), and predation of adults by dogs; all non-indigenous animals were introduced to New Zealand by European settlers near the turn of the 20th century (2) (5).
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Great spotted kiwi

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The great spotted kiwi, great grey kiwi[2] or roroa (Apteryx haastii) is a species of kiwi endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. The great spotted kiwi, as a member of the ratites, is flightless. It is the largest of the kiwi. The rugged topography and harsh climate of the high altitude alpine part of its habitat render it inhospitable to a number of introduced mammalian predators, which include dogs, ferrets, cats, and stoats. Because of this, populations of this species have been less seriously affected by the predations of these invasive species compared to other kiwi. Nonetheless, there has been a 43% decline in population in the past 45 years, due to these predators and habitat destruction. This has led it to be classified as vulnerable.[1] There are less than 16,000 great spotted kiwis in total, almost all in the more mountainous parts of northwest Nelson, the northwest coast, and the Southern Alps. A minority live on island reserves.

This kiwi is highly aggressive, and pairs will defend their large territories against other kiwi.[2] Great spotted kiwi are nocturnal, and will sleep during the day in burrows. At night, they feed on invertebrates and will also eat plants. Great spotted kiwi breed between June and March. The egg is the largest of all birds in proportion to the size of the bird. Chicks take 75 to 85 days to hatch, and after hatching, they are abandoned by their parents.

Taxonomy and etymology

Two birds, right bird is larger than left
Illustration of an immature and an adult male

This large kiwi is one of five species of kiwis residing in New Zealand. The other four are the tokoeka (Apteryx australis), Okarito brown kiwi (Apteryx rowi), little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii),[4] and North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli).[5] Great spotted kiwis are most closely related to the little spotted kiwi.[6] The kiwi genus, Apteryx, is endemic to New Zealand; 44% of the bird species native to New Zealand are endemic.[4] Kiwis are placed in the ratite family, which also includes the emu, ostrich, rhea,[7] and cassowary, as well as the extinct moa of New Zealand and elephant birds of Madagascar. All ratites are flightless.[8] While it was long presumed that kiwi were closely related to moa, recent DNA research identified elephant birds as kiwi's closest relatives. Additionally, kiwi are more closely related to emus and cassowaries than to moa; the latter are actually closest to the weakly flying tinamous of South America.[9]

A. haastii

A. owenii

A. australis

A. rowi

A. mantelli

Relationships in the genus Apteryx[6]

Before the great spotted kiwi was known to science, several stories circulated about the existence of a large kiwi called the Maori roaroa. In 1871, two specimens were brought to the Canterbury Museum, where they were identified as a new species and were named after the museum's curator, Dr. Haast.[10]

The great spotted kiwi was first described as Apteryx haastii by Thomas Potts, in 1872, based on a specimen from Westland, New Zealand.[2] It is a monotypic species.[11]

The genus name, Apteryx, comes from the Ancient Greek words a "without" or "no", and pteryx, "wing" and haasti is the Latin form of the last name of Sir Julius von Haast.[12][13]

Description

Great spotted kiwis are the largest of the kiwis;[6] the male is 45 cm (18 in) tall, while the female is 50 cm (20 in) tall. Bill length ranges from 9 to 12 cm (3.5–4.7 in),[14] while weight ranges between 1.2 and 2.6 kg (2.6 and 5.7 lb) for males and 1.5 and 3.3 kg (3.3 and 7.3 lb) for females.[2] The body is pear-shaped, while the head and neck is small with a long slender ivory bill.[14][15] The great spotted kiwi, along with the other kiwi species, is the only bird with nostrils at the end of its bill.[16] The eyes are small and do not see well,[17] as it relies mostly on its sense of smell.[18] The legs are short, with three toes per foot.[17] It has a plumage composed of soft, hair-like feathers, which have no aftershafts. The plumage can range from charcoal grey to light brown.[14] They have large vibrissae around the gape, and they have no tail, only a small pygostyle.[2] The common name of this bird comes from black spots on its feathers.[17] They use their powerful legs and claws for defence against predators like stoats or ferrets. Kiwis are flightless birds, and hence lack hollow bones, lack a keel to which wing muscles anchor, and have tiny wings.[14] This species also has a low body temperature compared to other birds. Average lifespan is 30 to 40 years.[19]

Distribution and habitat

Arid landscape with sparse vegetation
An example of a tussock grassland, which great spotted kiwis will inhabit

Greater spotted kiwis once lived in numerous areas throughout the South Island, but because of predation by invasive species, the remaining kiwi are now restricted to three localities.[20] These kiwi live in higher altitude areas. Populations are present from northwestern Nelson to the Buller River, the northwest coast (Hurunui River to Arthur's Pass), and the Paparoa Range,[1] as well as within the Lake Rotoiti Mainland Island.[21][22] The Southern Alps population is particularly isolated.[21] Great spotted kiwis reside in complex, maze-like burrows that they construct.[23] Up to fifty burrows can exist in one bird's territory.[24] They will often move around, staying in a different burrow every day.[18] Bird's Nest Fungus sometimes grows in these burrows.[25] Their habitat ranges in elevation from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft), but the majority are concentrated in a range from 700 to 1,100 m (2,300–3,600 ft) in a subalpine zone. These kiwis will live in tussock grasslands, scrubland, pasture, and forests.[1]

Behaviour

The great spotted kiwi is nocturnal in behaviour.[17] If the kiwis live in an area lacking predators, they will come out in the day. At night, they come out to feed. Like other species of kiwi, they have a good sense of smell, which is unusual in birds.[14] Males are fiercely territorial.[21] At most, four to five kiwis live in a square kilometre.[25] One pair's territory can be 25 hectares (62 acres) in size. It is not known how they defend such a large territory in proportion to their size.[18] They will call, chase, or fight intruders out. Vocalisations of the great spotted kiwi include growls, hisses, and bill snapping.[25] Great spotted kiwi males have a call that resembles a warbling whistle, while the female call is harsh raspy, and also warbling.[15][24]

Bird in zoo enclosure
In Otorohanga Kiwi House

Breeding and nesting

Great spotted kiwis are monogamous,[18] with pairings sometimes lasting twenty years. Nests are made in burrows. The breeding season begins in June and ends in March, as this is when food is plentiful. Males reach sexual maturity at 18 months in captivity, while females are able to lay eggs after three years. In the wild, sexual maturity for both sexes is between ages three and five. Great spotted kiwi males chase females around until the females either run off or mate. The pair mates about two to three times during peak activity.[27] The gestation period is about a month. Females do not eat during this period, as the eggs will take up a fourth of a kiwi's body mass.[18] The yolk takes up 65% of the egg. In most bird eggs, the yolk takes up about 35 to 40% of the egg. This makes the kiwi egg the largest in proportion to the body.[27] Females must rely on fat stored from the previous five months to survive. Because of the large size of the egg, gestation is uncomfortable for the female, and they do not move much. To relieve the pain, females soak themselves in water when they come out of the burrows by dipping their abdomens into puddles.[18] The egg-laying season is between August and January.[28]

After the female lays the egg, the male incubates the egg while the female guards the nest. Males only leave the nest for a few hours to hunt, and during this time, the female takes over. It takes 75 to 85 days for the egg to hatch. The kiwi chick takes 2 to 3 days simply to get out of its egg. Kiwi chicks are superprecocial, and are abandoned by their parents after hatching. After ten days, chicks venture out of the burrow to hunt. Most chicks are killed by predators in the first six months of their life. Great spotted kiwis reach full size at year six. Unlike most birds, female great spotted kiwis have two ovaries. Most birds have only one. Great spotted kiwis are distinguishable from other kiwi species by the fact that they can only produce one egg a year, as it takes so much energy to produce the massive egg.[18]

Feeding

See caption
Stuffed specimen from Auckland Museum

In the ground, they dig for earthworms and grubs,[17] and they search for beetles, cicada, crickets, flies, wētā, butterflies, moths, spiders, caterpillars, slugs and snails on the ground.[24][29] They will also feed on berries and seeds.[17] To find prey, the great spotted kiwi use their scenting skills or feel vibrations caused by the movement of their prey.[24] To do the latter, a kiwi would stick its beak into the ground,[18] then use its beak to dig into the ground.[17] As they are nocturnal, they do not emerge until thirty minutes after sunset to begin the hunt.[18] Kiwis will also swallow small stones, which aid in digestion.[30]

Survival

Because adult great spotted kiwis are large and powerful, they are able to fend off most predators that attack them, such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, pigs, brush possums and cats, all of which are invasive species in New Zealand. However, dogs are able to kill even adults.[15] Stoats, ferrets, possums, cats and dogs will feed on the eggs and chicks, meaning most chicks die within their first five months of life.[24][26] Before the arrival of mammalian predators, the great spotted kiwi's natural predators would have been birds of prey like the extinct Haast's eagle and Eyles' harrier and the extant Swamp harrier.[25]

Diseases

The great spotted kiwi is the sole host of a species of feather mite, Kiwialges haastii, described in 1985.[31]

Status

Man holding bird
A scientist prepares to release a great spotted kiwi as part of a conservation program in Kahurangi National Park

The great spotted kiwi population started declining when European settlers first arrived in New Zealand.[1] Before settlers arrived, about 12 million great spotted kiwis lived in New Zealand.[18] This bird is often preyed upon by invasive pigs, dogs, ferrets and stoats, leading to a 5% chick survival rate.[24] It has more of an advantage than other kiwi species over these predators because it lives in high altitude areas, where the wet upland population thrives.[21] However, there has been a decrease in population of 43% in the past 45 years,[1] and has declined 90% since 1900.[32] Humans have also endangered the species by destroying their habitat by logging forests and building mines.[25][33] Previously, humans hunted these kiwis for feathers and food.[17] In 1988, the species was listed as Least Concern species. It is currently classified by the IUCN as a vulnerable species. This kiwi has an occurrence range of 8,500 km2 (3,300 sq mi), and in 2000 an estimated 22,000 adult birds remained. They have been trending down about 5.8% a year.[15] The main threat is from invasive predators including mustelids, brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula, feral cats, dogs and pigs[1][15] The most threatened populations are in the southern areas of the species' range.[21] Less than 16,000 great spotted kiwis remain.[32] Movements for saving the kiwi are in place, and sanctuaries for the great spotted kiwi have been made.[25] Thanks to intensive trapping and poisoning efforts the chick survival rate has been raised to about 60% in areas where mammalian pest control is undertaken.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g BirdLife International (2016). "Apteryx haastii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22678132A92756666. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678132A92756666.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003)
  3. ^ Gill; et al. (2010). "Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica" (PDF) (4th ed.). Te Papa Press. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Biological diversity in New Zealand". Encyclopedia of Earth. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  5. ^ "Northern Brown Kiwi - BirdLife Species Factsheet". BirdLife International. Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  6. ^ a b c "Great Spotted Kiwi Classification". University of Wisconsin. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  7. ^ "Ratites (Emu, Ostrich, and Rhea)". United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  8. ^ "The Cassowary Bird". Buzzle.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
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Great spotted kiwi: Brief Summary

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The great spotted kiwi, great grey kiwi or roroa (Apteryx haastii) is a species of kiwi endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. The great spotted kiwi, as a member of the ratites, is flightless. It is the largest of the kiwi. The rugged topography and harsh climate of the high altitude alpine part of its habitat render it inhospitable to a number of introduced mammalian predators, which include dogs, ferrets, cats, and stoats. Because of this, populations of this species have been less seriously affected by the predations of these invasive species compared to other kiwi. Nonetheless, there has been a 43% decline in population in the past 45 years, due to these predators and habitat destruction. This has led it to be classified as vulnerable. There are less than 16,000 great spotted kiwis in total, almost all in the more mountainous parts of northwest Nelson, the northwest coast, and the Southern Alps. A minority live on island reserves.

This kiwi is highly aggressive, and pairs will defend their large territories against other kiwi. Great spotted kiwi are nocturnal, and will sleep during the day in burrows. At night, they feed on invertebrates and will also eat plants. Great spotted kiwi breed between June and March. The egg is the largest of all birds in proportion to the size of the bird. Chicks take 75 to 85 days to hatch, and after hatching, they are abandoned by their parents.

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