We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.
You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Accept
North Island Brown Kiwi
Apteryx mantelli
The North Island brown kiwi is a nocturnal species of kiwi from New Zealand. This flightless bird has a long, curved, pale gray-brown bill that is unique in the bird world because the nostrils are located near the tip.
Range & Habitat
In the Wild: This species of kiwi is native to the northern two-thirds of the North Island of New Zealand. This bird has adapted to live on scrub-like farmland, pine plantations, and their native forests, but it still prefers dense, sub-tropical and temperate forest.
At the Zoo: Adaptation of Animals (Nocturnal Animals wing)
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
North Island brown kiwi have disappeared from many lowland sites and around the fringes of their distribution, through a combination of habitat loss and predation.
Diet
In the Wild: Earthworms, beetles, snails, crayfish, insects, fruits and berries.
At the Zoo: A specialized diet including beef heart, ground meat, fruits , vegetables, specialized supplements and earthworms.
Life Span
Up to 50 years.
Fun Facts about the North Island Brown Kiwi
- The kiwi holds the Guinness Book of World Records title of largest bird egg relative to body size.
- The kiwi is the national bird of New Zealand. New Zealanders even refer to themselves as “kiwis.”
Sources
New Zealand Birds Online, North Island brown kiwi. Information retrieved October 2019. http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/north-island-brown-kiwi
The Animal Facts, North Island brown kiwi. Information retrieved October 2019. https://theanimalfacts.com/birds/north-island-brown-kiwi/
Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, North Island brown kiwi. Information retrieved October 2019. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/north-island-brown-kiwi
Updated June 13, 2023
Location:
Adaptation of Animals
