One of the world's rarest animals is New Zealand's national symbol, the kiwi. They are endemic only to the island nation, where five species exist.
The kiwi is about the size of a small dog, its feathers resemble fur, and its wings are too small to fly. As a result, it has been living on the forest floor for millennia. This makes the kiwi one of the world's strangest and most extraordinary birds.[1]
Devoted Parents
The adult kiwi has powerful feet and claws to fight off predators. However, its eggs and chicks are vulnerable. It lays eggs about 20% of its size, a ratio greater than any other bird species. When it's ready to be laid, the egg is so large that the mother has no space for food.
The egg also has a higher proportion of yolk than other birds, capable of sustaining the chick for up to 80 days before it hatches—more than twice the usual incubation period for a bird. The kiwi's long gestation period means its chicks are born with a head start relative to other birds with shorter gestation periods. Its unique reproductive niche could explain why the kiwi lost its ability to fly.[2]
Skillful Adapter
Because the kiwi does not have wings, it cannot fly. However, it has remnants of what may have been wings. On either side of its body, tucked underneath its feathers, are vestigial wings with cat-like claws attached. This unusual trait led to it being given the species name 'Apteryx' or 'wingless.' [3]
Unlike other birds, the kiwi has nostrils at the tip of its beak. Two hollow openings at the end of its beak run back to its receptors. This unique adaptation allows it to sniff deep underground for its food, subsisting on bugs, insects, berries, and seeds. It also uses its long, slender beak to sense tiny vibrations on the ground to gather information about its surroundings.[4]
Final Thoughts
One can find the kiwi only in New Zealand, and it is unlike any animal on earth. Its unique adaptations, and dedication to its young, highlight the diversity of paths in the animal kingdom. There is much to discover about this intrepid animal. For any reader eager to learn more, you're encouraged to visit the Britannica website on the kiwi.
References
1. Webster, Yvette. 20 Fun Facts About the Kiwi Bird. https://www.wayfaringkiwi.com/fun-facts-about-the-kiwi-bird/
2. Dean, Sam. (2015). Why Is the Kiwi's Egg So Big?. https://www.audubon.org/news/why-kiwis-egg-so-big
3. Save the kiwi. Kiwi are flightless. https://www.savethekiwi.nz/about-kiwi/kiwi-facts/flightless/
4. The San Diego Zoo. (2008). Birds: Kiwi. https://web.archive.org/web/20081006082245/http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-kiwi.html
The kiwi is about the size of a small dog, its feathers resemble fur, and its wings are too small to fly. As a result, it has been living on the forest floor for millennia. This makes the kiwi one of the world's strangest and most extraordinary birds.[1]
What Makes the Kiwi Special?
Devoted Parents
The adult kiwi has powerful feet and claws to fight off predators. However, its eggs and chicks are vulnerable. It lays eggs about 20% of its size, a ratio greater than any other bird species. When it's ready to be laid, the egg is so large that the mother has no space for food.
The egg also has a higher proportion of yolk than other birds, capable of sustaining the chick for up to 80 days before it hatches—more than twice the usual incubation period for a bird. The kiwi's long gestation period means its chicks are born with a head start relative to other birds with shorter gestation periods. Its unique reproductive niche could explain why the kiwi lost its ability to fly.[2]
Skillful Adapter
Because the kiwi does not have wings, it cannot fly. However, it has remnants of what may have been wings. On either side of its body, tucked underneath its feathers, are vestigial wings with cat-like claws attached. This unusual trait led to it being given the species name 'Apteryx' or 'wingless.' [3]
Unlike other birds, the kiwi has nostrils at the tip of its beak. Two hollow openings at the end of its beak run back to its receptors. This unique adaptation allows it to sniff deep underground for its food, subsisting on bugs, insects, berries, and seeds. It also uses its long, slender beak to sense tiny vibrations on the ground to gather information about its surroundings.[4]
Final Thoughts
One can find the kiwi only in New Zealand, and it is unlike any animal on earth. Its unique adaptations, and dedication to its young, highlight the diversity of paths in the animal kingdom. There is much to discover about this intrepid animal. For any reader eager to learn more, you're encouraged to visit the Britannica website on the kiwi.
References
1. Webster, Yvette. 20 Fun Facts About the Kiwi Bird. https://www.wayfaringkiwi.com/fun-facts-about-the-kiwi-bird/
2. Dean, Sam. (2015). Why Is the Kiwi's Egg So Big?. https://www.audubon.org/news/why-kiwis-egg-so-big
3. Save the kiwi. Kiwi are flightless. https://www.savethekiwi.nz/about-kiwi/kiwi-facts/flightless/
4. The San Diego Zoo. (2008). Birds: Kiwi. https://web.archive.org/web/20081006082245/http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-kiwi.html
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Animals