The national icon, we have five species of this unusual flightless bird. Each species has a different threat ranking, ranging from nationally endangered (the southern brown kiwi) to recovering (the little spotted kiwi).

Adults over a year old are generally strong enough to fight off predators in the wild, with a strong kick. However, chicks and eggs are subject to high levels of predation, which has resulted in the current threat rankings. Conservation efforts, consisting of egg removal from nests, then hand rearing of chicks, has been successful in many places to help stabilise populations.

These birds are unique in that they are only birds in the world with nostrils at the end of their bills. They use the bill to detect earthworms and grubs beneath the surface – snuffling around the leaf litter during the night. Whilst it is rare to see kiwi in the wild in New Zealand, there are many conversation parks where they can be observed in captivity.

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