Avian Extreme: Brown Kiwi

July 7, 2011 in Kiwis and Avian Extreme with 4 comments

The Brown Kiwi is one of five species of kiwi. All kiwis, native to the islands of New Zealand, are flightless. The national symbol of New Zealand holds at least two avian records. First, these grown-dwelling birds have the largest egg in relation to their body size. The kiwi is about the size of a domestic chicken, while the egg is about the size of an emu's egg! The egg may be up to 1/5 of the body weight of the mother bird. Kiwis are also unusual in that after the egg is laid, the male takes care of incubation and nest maintenance. The other record held by the kiwi relates to unusual anatomy: it is the only bird with nostrils at the end of the bill. Unlike most other bird species, the kiwi has a good sense of smell. It uses scent to find prey. If you can't get enough of this extreme avian species, be sure to check out Birdorable's collection of cute Brown Kiwi t-shirts & gifts.

Comments

Jenna on July 27, 2011 at 9:30 AM wrote:

Your kiwi bird is so cute! :) Kiwis are very interesting and strange birds.

Tough Titmouse on May 24, 2012 at 5:47 PM wrote:

Amazing... Kiwi eggs... :D

Louise Warner on May 3, 2017 at 9:02 AM wrote:

great-spotted kiwi

Spurwing Plover on June 2, 2022 at 4:41 PM wrote:

And they will fight when their cornered their claws on their feet can be lethal

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.

Your name (required)

Your email address (required)

Your email address will not be published

Comment (required)

I agree to receive updates and news from Birdorable

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

2023 Bonanza Bird #1

Exploring the World of the Flammulated Owl with Birdorable

November 27, 2023

Welcome to our 2023 Birdorable Bonanza! For the next 10 days we'll reveal a new cute bird that will join our big Birdorable flock! Today the Flammulated Owl kicks off our celebration. The tiny Flammulated Owl, with its unique flame-like markings, might just be one of the forest's best-kept...

Martha Week: Project Passenger Pigeon

August 27, 2014

Monday, September 1st will mark the 100 year anniversary of the death of Martha, the last of her species, the Passenger Pigeon. With her death our planet lost another species forever to extinction. This week we'd like to share some of the commemorative events and educational opportunities...

Cockatoos anticipate tasty prize, use self-control

March 19, 2013

In a recent research study, it was discovered that cockatoos would exhibit self-control in order to receive a prized nut. Self-control was previously thought to be exclusively practiced by animals with larger brains. Researchers...

Kingfisher Extremes

October 7, 2014

This week, we’re celebrating the world’s kingfishers! There are about 90 species of kingfisher in the world. These darling birds are often colorful, and they can be found all around the world. Join us as we highlight kingfishers on the Birdorable blog this...

Birdorable Blog