This is exactly the appearance of this unique creation.
2. This unusual bird appeared in New Zealand 30 million years ago.
3.Kiwi is another representative of non-flying birds.
4. Kiwi is a whole family of birds, which has 6 species. They all live in New Zealand.
5.Species of the family: large and small kiwi, northern and southern common kiwi, rovi, Haast kiwi.
6. On average, the body size of this bird is the same as that of an ordinary chicken. The bird's beak is equal to one third of the length of the entire body.
7. This amazing bird weighs between 1.4 and 4 kilograms. Moreover, 1/3 of the mass falls on strong and resilient paws with sharp claws.
8.The unusual nature of the kiwi lies in the combination of the characteristics of a bird and a mammal; it is an endangered species, as a result of which it is listed in the Red Book.
9. Kiwi has a lot in common with mammals, but not only: there are common features and with a person. The bird's brain is located in the cranium, like in humans.
10. Females have two ovaries, although most birds have only one.
11. The plumage of a kiwi is more like fur - such small gray-brown feathers, which, by the way, also have their own strong and pungent smell, similar to a mushroom. It is not difficult for predators to find their prey using this smell. These birds are not only Brown– you can meet a kiwi bird that looks like a chicken!
12.This bird got its name because of its nocturnal call that sounds like a ki-wee.
13. The most amazing thing is that this bird does not build a nest, because it simply does not need it: the kiwi lives underground. This bird digs a small hole and lives there.
14. Kiwis are nocturnal, and during the day they hide in burrows well camouflaged with grass and moss, reminiscent of labyrinths and having 2 exits.
15. Kiwis are quite shy, making them difficult to spot. They most often hide in bushes and grassy areas to escape numerous predators.
16. Kiwis can deliberately hide the entrance to their burrow. To do this, they cover it with branches and fallen leaves. Such attention to its home is not accidental, because the bird spends a long time there (until the sun sets).
17. Despite the fact that these birds are quite timid, at night they become active and even aggressive. If a stranger wanders into their territory at night, he should be very careful. Aggression can also be caused by mating season.
18. Kiwis are warned the world about the boundaries of their territory with the help of night cries that can be heard for kilometers.
19. An important difference between the kiwi and other birds is that it molts several times a year, changing its seasonal plumage.
20. She doesn’t have a tail, so her body shape is a bit like a dome.
21. Kiwis have very small eyes, and they see poorly. Therefore, all hope lies in hearing and smell.
22. Kiwis have no tongue. And instead of a tongue, they have thin, long vibrissae (such sensitive bristles), it is they who perform the role of touch.
23. Kiwi is helped by its long beak, on which the nostrils are located not at the base, like all birds, but at the very tip. And also the bird can boast large holes for the ears and excellent hearing, which is very helpful when searching for food.
24. Successful hunting of kiwi is possible not only due to its excellent sense of smell (the finest in the animal world), but also due to the vibris - sensitive hairs at the base of the beak.
25. Due to the hidden lifestyle that these unusual birds lead, scientists did not immediately notice that the number was falling sharply, and less than 1% of the number that was 1000 years ago remained.
26. The reason is a decrease in forest area and an increase in the number of predators imported to the island - weasels, cats, dogs.
27.As a result, the state began a protection and restoration program - breeding kiwi in captivity and controlling the number of predators.
28. There are special reserves and nurseries on the island where kiwis live. The largest is in the city of Otorhanga in the north. When forests are cleared, birds are moved to safe places.
29. There are legal norms that will not allow the domestication of birds, because they represent a small endangered species of birds.
30. average temperature kiwi's body temperature is 38°C, which is 2 degrees lower than that of most birds and slightly higher than that of humans.
31. Kiwis breed from June to March. Sexual maturity of these birds occurs between 16 months and 3 years.
32. Female kiwis have a beak several centimeters longer than males.
33. Kiwis mate for a long period, sometimes for the entire period of life.
34.After three weeks of gestation, the female lays a very large egg (rarely two). Here the kiwi is an unprecedented record holder in the ratio of body weight to egg weight, which weighs approximately 1/4 of the body weight of the kiwi itself.
35. The egg is mainly incubated by the male for 75 - 85 days.
36.When the chick hatches from the egg, mom and dad leave it to live independently. To do this, the chick has a reserve of subcutaneous fat for 2-3 days, full plumage and a very great thirst for life. A small kiwi has 3-5 years to mature.
37. The statement that kiwis do not have wings is incorrect. They exist, but they are very small, about 5 centimeters in length and they are practically invisible on the bird’s body.
38. Although, the kiwi still retains the habit of sleeping and hiding its small head under its wing. This sight, of course, looks comical, but such is the nature of the bird.
39. The diet of these birds includes fruits and berries that have fallen from trees, as well as bugs, flies, larvae, earthworms, snails, slugs, small crustaceans (cyclops, daphnia), even small toads.
40. The bird searches for its “goodies” with the help of its beak, which, like a “vacuum cleaner-locator”, sniffs out prey among the grass and fallen leaves. At the same time, powerful, albeit short, paws rake leaves and soil.
41. Some scientists call kiwis "genetic remnants" due to the fact that kiwis developed poorly and were unable to migrate to different parts of the world.
42. It was initially assumed that kiwis were relatives of the extinct moa ostrich, but research has proven that kiwi DNA is closer to emu DNA.
43. Increasing the distribution area is very difficult, since kiwis are very demanding in terms of living conditions.
44. Kiwis are long-lived, they live about 50 – 60 years.
45. Choosing a kiwi bird as a pet is not the best option: birds are not very sociable even with representatives of their own species.
46. Locals care about the comfort of the kiwi, and therefore installed road signs so that drivers do not inadvertently run into this truly outlandish creature.
47. Kiwi is the national bird of New Zealand, its image is the unofficial emblem of this country.
48. The New Zealand dollar is also popularly named after the emblem of New Zealand because of the kiwi depicted on it.
49. At every step in New Zealand there is a reminder of this strange bird. Cartoons are made about these unusual birds, and they become the heroes of various videos and stories.
50. Since kiwis cannot fly, but only run quickly, in their homeland there are many road signs warning drivers to be careful and attentive - this wingless bird may cross the road.
Everyone, at least once in their life, has heard about the kiwi bird, but other than the fact that this bird is a bird, they have not really heard anything about it. Do you know that she has no tongue? The kiwi also lacks a tail. Kiwi has many more features that are worth learning.
Kiwi is a whole family that has 5 species. They all live in New Zealand. By the way, the kiwi is the unofficial emblem of this country.
Features of the body structure of the kiwi bird
This amazing bird weighs between 1.4 and 4 kilograms. Moreover, 1/3 of the mass falls on strong and resilient paws with sharp claws. The plumage is more like fur - small gray-brown feathers, which, by the way, also have their own strong and pungent smell, similar to mushroom. It is not difficult for predators to find their prey using this smell.
Do kiwis have wings?
Also, if they tell you that kiwis don’t have wings, don’t believe them. They are there, but very small, about 5 cm in length and they are practically invisible on the bird’s body. Although, they still have the habit of sleeping and hiding their small heads under their wings. This sight, of course, looks comical, but such is the nature of the bird. It is worth noting that kiwis have very small eyes, and they see poorly. Therefore, all hope lies in hearing and smell. They are helped in this by their long beak, on which the nostrils are located not at the base, like in all birds, but at the very tip. And instead of a tongue, they have thin, long vibrissae (such sensitive bristles), it is they who perform the role of touch.
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Food acquisition and lifestyle
Kiwis are active at night, they come out of their hiding places in the dark. Shelters: kiwi can make about 50 such shelters on its territory (this is within 1 km). These can be cracks, a hollow tree, or holes dug by it. And here’s another interesting fact: after a kiwi digs a hole, it does not immediately settle in it, but waits a week or even two so that the entrance is overgrown with grass and moss. He needs such wait-and-see actions to disguise his hiding place.
After daytime lethargy and timidity, at dusk, self-confident and aggressive birds emerge from their hiding places, ready to defend their territory and their female. They shout about it loudly on their territory.
The diet of these birds includes fruits and berries that have fallen from trees, as well as bugs, flies, larvae, earthworms, snails, slugs, small crustaceans (Cyclops, Daphnia), even small toads. The bird searches for its “goodies” with the help of its beak, which, like a “vacuum cleaner-locator”, sniffs out prey among the grass and fallen leaves. At the same time, powerful, albeit short, paws rake leaves and soil.
Kiwis mate for a long period, sometimes for the entire period of life. Love games for procreation begin in June and end in March. After three weeks of gestation, the female lays a very large egg (rarely two). Here the kiwi is an unprecedented record holder in the ratio of body weight to egg weight, which weighs approximately 1/4 of the body weight of the kiwi itself. The egg is generally incubated by the male for 75–85 days.
Description
Photo of kiwi close up
Kiwi is a flightless ratite bird of the genus Kiwi.
What does it look like
Photo: kiwi bird near the fern
Kiwi has an unusual body structure for a bird. The body is pear-shaped, the head is small, and the neck is short. The eyes are round and small - their diameter is only 8 millimeters. Large auditory canals are located in the lateral walls of the skull. The kiwi's beak is long, thin, flexible, and slightly curved at the end. The length of the beak reaches 10-12 centimeters. The nostrils, unlike other bird species, are located at the end of the beak. Kiwis don't have a language. At the base of the beak there are many small bristles - vibrissae (the same as the whiskers of a cat or dog), which serve as an organ of touch. Kiwis have well-developed hearing and sense of smell, but birds have poor vision. The kiwi has no tail. The legs are short, thick, four-toed with sharp long claws. With the help of powerful paws, birds dig long underground labyrinths.
Photo: Kiwi bird sitting on the ground
Kiwis are flightless birds. Many people believe that these birds do not fly because they do not have wings, but this is not true. Kiwi birds still have wings, but they are not developed, tightly pressed to the body, their size is 4-5 cm. Under the thick feather layer, the wings are practically invisible.
Kiwi among green plants
Kiwi has plumage atypical for birds. Feathers are more similar in structure to wool - they are small, short and hard. The color is gray-brown with white and black strokes around the perimeter of the body. Kiwis moult several times a year. At this time, birds completely change their plumage. Kiwi feathers emit a specific smell, similar to a mushroom one. This feature makes birds vulnerable to predators, who can easily find their prey by smell.
Why kiwi is a bird
Kiwi crosses the road
The habits and lifestyle of the kiwi indicate that these birds belong to mammals: these birds cannot fly, live in the ground, run fast, hunt using their sense of smell, and the female kiwi has two functioning ovaries at once. Despite this, scientists still classified these unusual creatures as birds because they have a beak, wings (albeit undeveloped), long clawed four-fingered paws and plumage.
Female and male kiwi: differences
Female and male kiwi
The plumage of females and males is the same color. You can distinguish a female kiwi from a male by size: females are 150-300 grams larger than males. In addition, their beak is always longer and thicker.
Where does it live?
Kiwi resting under a leaf
The kiwi bird lives in New Zealand. Bird families live on almost all the islands of the New Zealand chain. Largest quantity birds constantly nest on one of the two main Zealand islands - North Island. The South Island is home to the Common Kiwi, Great Gray and Rovi. Capita Island is inhabited by the Lesser Gray Kiwi. The habitat of the kiwi bird is the territory of New Zealand.
Habitats
The sly bird is up to something
Kiwi birds live in secluded places, away from the habitats of other animals and birds. For their residence, they choose moist evergreen forests and swampy areas. Initially, birds lived only in the subtropics, however, economic activity Humans and predatory animals brought to the islands by people and hunting kiwi forced the birds to move to the mountains, savannas, subalpine meadows and bush groves. Birds hide in tree hollows or burrows among dense vegetation.
What do kiwis eat?
Kiwi bird eating at home
Kiwi nutrition is mixed. The diet includes insects - beetles and spiders, flies and larvae, worms, slugs and snails. Brown kiwis feed on toads and mushrooms. Kiwis collect food from the ground. They use their feet to rake through foliage and soil, use a powerful “sniffing apparatus” to find the prey, and then grab it with their beak and swallow it completely. In addition to animal food, kiwis feed on vegetation. They eat fruits and seeds shrub plants, berries, fruits and leaves.
Kiwi looking for food
Kiwis are voracious birds. During the mating season, they consume so much food per day that it exceeds the weight of the bird. Kiwis rarely drink water because required amount They get water through food. This feature has helped the kiwi adapt to life in the dry areas of Zealand. Optimal level fluid in the body prevents the bird from overheating and dehydration during the hot period.
Lifestyle
Kiwi pierced a leaf with its beak
Kiwis are nocturnal. During daylight hours, birds hide in hollows or burrows, and at night they go out hunting. In the dark, birds' senses become more acute. Kiwis are shy, timid birds. If the birds sense danger, they take flight. By the way, these birds run quickly, deftly maneuvering among the bushes. Secretive kiwis become fierce predators at night. During the hunt, they behave aggressively and do not allow other birds to approach the caught prey. Kiwis do not accept the appearance of other animals in their territory. Kiwi animals that accidentally wander in are attacked by groups of 6-8 birds.
Kiwi on the hunt
Sometimes birds fight among themselves, this happens especially often during the breeding season. Serious fights for the female or nesting site they like often end in death.
Lonely kiwi
Kiwis are monogamous birds. Partners live together for at least two years, but sometimes remain as a couple for the rest of their lives. Having built a pair, birds, as a rule, designate their territory - the “nesting site”. The boundaries of a kiwi's territory are marked with loud alarm calls. The diameter of the nesting area is 800-1500 meters. During the night, the male kiwi walks around his territory and, if he detects an uninvited guest, tries to lure him outside the nesting site.
Kiwi in the nest
Kiwis, unlike most other bird species, do not build nests. Birds live in deep, narrow burrows. Sometimes they climb into hollows left by other birds or hide from enemies under the roots of centuries-old trees. A kiwi's burrow is a long, winding maze with several exits. One pair of birds digs several holes at once, each 3-5 meters long. Birds settle there 10-14 days after construction is completed - when the entrance is overgrown with grass and will not be visible to the naked eye. Mountain kiwis camouflage the entrance to their homes with grass and leaves. Periodically, birds “move” from hole to hole to throw predators off the scent.
Reproduction
Kiwi mating season lasts from June to March. Birds meet in a hollow twice a week, communicate with loud calls, and mate. The intrauterine period of gestation of an egg lasts three weeks, whereas, for example, in a chicken this process takes one day. At this time, the female consumes three times more food than usual - this is how she stores energy for bearing offspring and laying eggs. Kiwi lays one egg in a hole or depression under the roots of trees.
Eggs
Kiwi eggs
A small, fragile, chicken-like female kiwi lays a huge egg, weighing ¼ of her body weight. For example, an ordinary kiwi egg weighs up to 450 grams! Its dimensions are 120*80 millimeters. 65% of the egg is yolk (the highest percentage of yolk among the eggs of other birds). By the end of intrauterine development, the egg completely fills the internal space of the female’s body, pressing the stomach to the chest. Last days the female is forced to refuse food, since food simply cannot get into the stomach.
Kiwi and egg in the nest
The egg is shaped like a chicken egg. The shell is pale greenish or cream in color. It is smooth and shiny. The male immediately sits on the laid egg - he will hatch the offspring for the next 2.5-3 months. Over the course of her entire lifespan (50-60 years), a female kiwi lays 100 eggs.
Newborn kiwi chick
The chick hatching process lasts two days. The baby kiwi uses its legs and beak to crack the shell from the inside and climb out of the egg. The chick is born already with plumage. A newborn kiwi does not yet know how to walk and feed on its own, but its parents do not help it - the female and male leave their cub and settle in another hole. During the first week of life, subcutaneous yolk reserves help the chick maintain its viability. After 5-7 days the chick begins to leave the nest, and after 14 days it begins to feed on its own. Up to two months, the young go out hunting during the day, then switch to a nocturnal lifestyle.
A kiwi chick has just hatched from an egg.
Most birds die before the age of six months (90%), since they are still very weak and inexperienced, and often fall into the clutches of predatory animals. Young kiwis develop slowly. Sexual maturity in males occurs at one and a half years, in females - at 2-3 years. Sizes adult Kiwis reach five years of age. From that time on, kiwis become adult birds. Lifespan of a kiwi bird wildlife 50-60 years old.
Natural enemies of kiwi
Currently, the kiwi population numbers 70,000 birds, whereas a hundred years ago the kiwi population numbered in the millions of birds. At a time when people did not live in New Zealand, the Kiwis were the absolute masters of the island. With the arrival of man, warm-blooded mammalian predators appeared on the islands, for which kiwis became a kind of delicacy. The main natural enemies of kiwi are cats and stoats, which destroy burrows and eat eggs and chicks.
One of the main enemies of kiwi is stoat.
Dogs and ferrets hunt adult birds. Opossums and wild boars destroy eggs and feed on chicks and parents. Kiwis compete with hedgehogs, rodents, and weasels for food and habitat.
Kiwi sleeps in a man's arms
New Zealanders have listed three species of kiwi in the Red Book. Today hunting them is prohibited. Kiwi breeding is carried out in nature reserves, nurseries and zoos throughout the country. In 2000, five kiwi reserves were created, where ornithologists are developing methods to increase the population of the species. There is a program for the removal of eggs and chicks from the wild and hatching/rearing in artificial conditions. Adult birds are released into the wild. The measures taken made it possible to increase the populations of two species; they were later removed from the list of endangered species.
Kinds
Kiwi is a whole family of birds, which includes 6 species. All kiwis are native to New Zealand.
Northern brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)
Appearance: bird body length – 35 cm, weight – 2.5-3 kg. The plumage is gray-brown. Spreading: This species of kiwi inhabits the North Island. Peculiarities: Northern kiwi easily adapt to new conditions environment. They lead a less secretive lifestyle. They settle in forest belts and on the outskirts of human settlements. Species status: endangered, listed in the Red Book.
Southern, brown or common kiwi (A. australis)
Photo of an ordinary kiwi
Appearance: adult kiwis weigh 3 kilograms, body size – 38-40 cm. The color of the ordinary kiwi is brown with white streaks. Spreading: Birds live on the South Island. Peculiarities: The only variety of kiwi whose birds lay up to six eggs per year. Southern kiwi eggs are larger than other species, weighing up to 500 grams. The indigenous people of Zealand call the southern kiwi - Tokoeka. There are two subspecies:
- A.a. australis Shaw
- A.a. lowryi Rothschild
Species status: vulnerable species, listed in the Red Book.
Great gray kiwi (A. haasti)
Big gray kiwi goes for a walk
- Appearance : most major representative family of kiwiformes. Body weight - 3.5 kg, size - 40-45 cm. The color of the plumage is gray with beige and brown splashes.
- Spreading : Great gray kiwi nesting in the South Island
- Peculiarities : the peculiarity of the species is that females lay one egg per year. Both parents do the incubation.
- Species status : Gray kiwi is a vulnerable species, listed in the Red Book.
Kiwi rowi (A. rowi)
Photo of kiwi rovi
- Appearance : bird body weight 2.5 kg, size – 30 cm. Color dark gray.
- Spreading : birds inhabit western part South Island, nests in the Okarito forest.
- Peculiarities: Previously, kiwi rovi belonged to the southern species. Rovi received status a separate type in 2003.
- Species status : most rare view kiwi, the number of which is 100 pairs of birds.
Small gray kiwi, small spotted kiwi or Owen's kiwi (A. oweni)
Small gray kiwi on the field
- Appearance : the smallest member of the kiwi genus. Body length 25 cm, body weight – 1200 grams. The plumage is gray-brown.
- Spreading : The small kiwi is found on Kapiti Island and nearby isolated islets.
- Peculiarities : the feathers of the small kiwi are short - 1.5-2 centimeters. Females of these birds lay up to three eggs per year.
- Species status : rare species, population size is 1.5 thousand birds.
Why was the bird called that?
Kiwi bird under a tree branch
Kiwi got its name due to the sounds it makes. In the pre-dawn hours, adult birds communicate with each other through a loud call of “kee-wee-kee-wee”. In honor of this bird, a shaggy brown fruit called “kiwi”, which is similar in appearance to the New Zealand bird, was named.
Photo of kiwi close up
- The kiwi is believed to be the world's oldest bird, having evolved more than 30 million years ago.
- Another interesting fact is that kiwi eggs are almost the same size as emu eggs and are among the largest in size of any bird in the world.
- Kiwi belongs to the category of flightless birds.
- Kiwi, which combines the habits of a bird and a mammal, is an endangered species. The bird is listed in the Red Book.
- The bird's brain is placed in a cranium, like in humans.
- The most interesting fact about the kiwi bird is the one she has the most low temperature bodies among all birds. The average body temperature is 38 degrees, while in most species of birds the body temperature is 40-42 degrees.
- Due to their inability to fly, Kiwis were never able to spread throughout the world.
- The kiwi's DNA is similar to that of the emu.
- KEY FACTS
- Genus: Apteryx
- Length: 50-65 cm
- Height: 35 cm
- Body weight: 1.4-3.8 kg
- Habitat: Forests, bushes and farmland
- Number of eggs in a clutch: 1-3
- Incubation period: 63-84 days
- Status: Rare, endangered
The Great Spotted Kiwi is one of three species of these amazing flightless birds found only in New Zealand. Their name comes from a word that in the language of the indigenous people - the Maori people - imitated the shrill cry of a male.
Homeland of the most amazing flightless birds - kiwi - New Zealand. They like New Zealand agathis, which abounds in the forests of this country.Not every curious traveler will be lucky enough to see wary kiwis in the gloom of the forest, because these birds have excellent camouflage - gray plumage. During the day, kiwis hide in burrows or under protruding roots. big trees, and at night they go in search of food. They cannot fly, so they waddle. Kiwis belong to the genus Apteryx, which includes three species - common, large spotted and small spotted kiwi.
It is noteworthy that kiwis live only in New Zealand. Of course, there are several other families of flightless birds in the world. So, in South America rheas are common, in Australia - cassowaries and emus, and in South Africa- ostriches. However, these types of kiwi are only distant relatives. Their close relatives are the extinct moa birds from New Zealand, which were often called "kiwi" by the indigenous people.
Unlike most birds, the kiwi has an exceptionally acute sense of smell, with which it finds food in the dark.
Unlike their flightless relatives from other parts of the world, kiwis are small birds. The largest species, the common kiwi, grows up to 65 cm, while the miniature small spotted kiwi reaches only 35 cm in length. All three species have common features: a pear-shaped body, no tail, short, strong legs, strong claws on the three-toed feet, and a long, thin beak with nostrils at the tip. The short wings (only a few centimeters long) are hidden in hair-like gray-brown feathers. Species vary in weight, but adult females are always larger than males. For example, a female common kiwi is twice as heavy as a male: her body weight can reach 3.8 kg.
Pungent SMOKE
Kiwis extract food from underground, detecting it by smell. The kiwi's keen sense of smell allows them to detect the presence of food at a depth of several centimeters. It is assumed that the organ of touch is the long vibrissae (sensitive bristles) at the base of the beak. Kiwis also have excellent hearing, which helps them detect predators.Kiwi hunts insects, earthworms or spiders, which it pulls out of the ground with its long beak. In summer, when the soil dries out and hardens, the birds' diet is supplemented with fruits, seeds and leaves. Great spotted kiwi sometimes feast on crayfish if the birds live near running water.
Kiwis form monogamous pairs. Depending on the species and habitat, females from July to November (spring in the Southern Hemisphere during this period) lay 1-3 eggs in nesting holes or crevices between stones. The eggs are quite large: their weight is 14-20% of the body weight of the female common kiwi and 25% of the weight of the small spotted kiwi. For 63-84 days, the males of these species incubate the eggs, while in the great spotted kiwi both parents take part in this process.
Early life
Kiwi chicks are born with plumage very similar to the hair-like plumage of adults. After about 5 days, the common kiwi chicks go out every night with their parents in search of food. At the age of 2-3 weeks they become completely independent, but mature only after reaching 20 months of age. Males become sexually mature after 14 months, and females give birth at the age of two years.
Female common kiwi. The kiwi uses its long beak to catch earthworms, insects and spiders. The diet of these birds also consists of berries, seeds and leaves.
Young small spotted kiwis do not leave the nesting hole earlier than 2-3 weeks after birth. All kiwis have low reproductive activity, but this species has very low reproductive activity. On Kapiti Island, on average, per pair per year, 0.08 chicks survive to adulthood.
Kiwis are sedentary birds. Thus, young common kiwis choose their territory within 5 km from the nest where they were born.
Extinction
There is no doubt that kiwis were much more common in the past than they are today. Their ancestors occupied an ecological niche that in other parts of the world was reserved for small mammals. In the absence of mammalian predators, kiwis had no need to fly, and over millions of years they lost this ability. The beginning of the extinction of the kiwi was laid by the close proximity of humans, the appearance of domestic pigs and dogs, as well as rats, in the birds’ habitat. Kiwis that could not fly became easy prey for predators.The common kiwi used to live on the North and South Islands of New Zealand, but most of the habitat of all kiwi representatives was destroyed. The common kiwi has disappeared since east coast South Island and southeast coast of the North Island. Apparently this extinction dates back to European colonization and is the result of exposures outside of Kapiti Island (approximately 1,400 individuals). The main reasons for the reduction in their previous number is human hunting of these birds,
destruction of their habitats, use of land for needs Agriculture, importation of predatory mammals.
The Great Spotted Kiwi is found exclusively in the western South Island in the mountainous regions. Since its local population is estimated at 20 thousand individuals, the species is probably not in danger of extinction. The most common type is the common kiwi.
Appearance kiwi is so unusual that stories about this strange bird long years no one believed it. Kiwi decorates National emblem New Zealand.
In their habits and lifestyle, flightless kiwi birds are more similar to hedgehogs than to their feathered relatives. The reasons for such unusual behavior are obvious - until recently, kiwi simply had no natural enemies.
Having appeared on Earth long before the first mammals, birds are more closely related to dinosaurs (of course, with small and nimble ones, and not with clumsy giants). Most birds mastered the air element, but some species either did not acquire wings at all, or settled in places where there was no need to fly, and over time they forgot how to do it. There is no doubt that in many ways flying is a wonderful, albeit tiring thing. Feathered wanderers quickly cover vast distances, flying to warmer regions for the winter and returning home in the spring. Knowing how to fly, it is easier to get food and escape from predators. However, this requires strong flight muscles, as well as flight and tail feathers, which wear out quickly and need to be replaced annually. Moreover, active flight requires enormous energy expenditure, which means that a flying bird needs much more food than a feathered pedestrian. So, if conditions allow, you can refuse the flight.
Nest of a common kiwi. A kiwi clutch consists of one to three large white eggs, each weighing up to 450 g. Males incubate them for 12 weeks.
It is generally accepted that kiwi settled in New Zealand in those distant times when the island had not yet broken away from the ancient mainland - that is, more than 80 million years ago. New Zealand set out on a solitary voyage even before the first mammals appeared on the planet, so all the local birds lived and developed quietly, without fear of predators. Before the first Maori people arrived on the islands more than a thousand years ago, only two species of mammals lived here, and even those were bats.
Night reveler
The absence of mammals saved the kiwi from many problems, but it had to compete with other birds for food sources and beware of feathered predators. Probably for these reasons, kiwi goes out to fish at dusk or after dark, when all other birds fall asleep. However, the night table is set for him no less generously than for daytime birds, because this is the golden time for many bugs, worms and snails, which hide from the unbearable heat during the day. Night owls do not require acute vision, which is why kiwis have small eyes. However, he runs with amazing agility in thick grass and, therefore, sees well enough not to bump into obstacles, otherwise this species simply would not survive!
Massive paws allow the kiwi to run briskly through the forests and peck painfully, fighting off enemies. Its silky fur-like plumage gives its body a rounded outline.
As expected night bird, kiwi has an excellent sense of smell and hearing. A couple of kiwis easily find each other, quietly calling to each other in the impassable thickets. While many birds have almost no sense of smell, the kiwi's long nasal cavities, which open at the tip of its beak, suggest that it searches for prey by smell, piercing the soft soil with its beak.
Frisky runner
The kiwi still has small wings, so its distant ancestors apparently knew how to fly. Today, all that remains of them are barely noticeable outgrowths hidden in thick plumage, and the keel to which flight muscles are attached in other birds is completely absent.The kiwi does not need a streamlined body shape, so its plumage is loose and more reminiscent of fur. Kiwi bones are heavier and stronger than those of flying birds, and therefore less susceptible to fractures. Its massive legs allow it to run quickly and dig in the ground in search of food.
Few New Zealanders have been able to see kiwi in the wild, because this bird lives in forests and bushes, going out to fish only at night. And yet it is known that kiwi lives in pairs, and that in relation to its size, the female lays the largest eggs of all birds. The average egg weighs about 450 g, which is almost a quarter of the female's weight (about 2 kg). A clutch of 1-2 eggs is incubated by the father without the help of his girlfriend. Apparently, laying eggs takes so much energy out of her that she would die from exhaustion if she incubated them. Therefore, having done her job, the female leaves to refresh herself and regain strength.
Chicks are born already equipped with special yolk sacs, which initially provide them with food. While most birds that hatch 1-2 chicks care for them sparing no effort, kiwis apparently abandon their offspring to their fate and, until recently, they survived only due to the absence of predators. However, people brought rats, dogs, pigs and other mammals to the islands, which managed to exterminate many of New Zealand's flightless birds.
Unfortunately, two other species of kiwi - the great spotted and the small spotted - suffered the most from the invasion of predators and now survive only in areas where there are no mammals yet.
1. Kiwi is a genus of flightless birds, whose homeland is distant New Zealand. These creatures are remarkably similar to mammals: they move on the ground, have plumage very similar to wool, and have a body temperature of 38 ° C. There are five species in the kiwi genus: Southern kiwi, Northern brown kiwi, Great gray kiwi, Small gray kiwi and Rovi.
2. Depending on the type of kiwi they have different sizes- their weight ranges from 1.4 to 4 kg. The kiwi has a very long and thin beak, which in males reaches a length of 95−105 mm, and in females - 110−120 mm. By the way, kiwi is characterized by sexual dimorphism: females are larger than males. Hence the difference in beak size.
3. Although kiwis don't fly, these birds still have wings, but tiny - no more than 5 cm. This rudiment cannot be seen under the thick plumage of the bird.
4. Kiwis are monogamous birds: they form pairs for 2-3 mating seasons or even for life. Three weeks after the mating ceremony, these birds lay one egg in a hole or under the roots of a tree. By the way, kiwis lay eggs, the size of which is legendary. With a female weighing 2−3 kg egg weighs 500 grams.
5. Kiwis are happy creatures because they live long lives. In the natural environment (green damp forests of New Zealand) birds can live 60 years, unless, of course, they are caught and eaten by local predators.
6. But the number of kiwi is alarming. About 1000 years ago, more than 12 million individuals lived in New Zealand. By 2004 there were the population was only 70,000. The fact is that predators (which were introduced by Europeans relatively recently) love to hunt these birds. Kiwis have a characteristic smell that is easy for animals to recognize.
