Kiwi Conservation status: Vulnerable
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Struthioniformes Family: Apterygidae G.R. Gray, 1840 Genus: Apteryx
Species
A. australis A. haastii A. owenii kiwi bird image File links The following pages link to this file: Kiwi Categories: Images with unknown source ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascideiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Many - see section below. ... Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ...

A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds native to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites. Several kiwi species are endangered. The kiwi is also a national symbol for New Zealand. ... Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ... The American bison numbered as few as 750 in 1890 due to extreme overhunting. ...

Prior to the arrival of humans in about 1300, New Zealand's only endemic mammals were three species of bat (the long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus) and two short-tailed bats (Mystacina robusta and M. tuberculata)). The ecological niches that in other parts of the world were filled by creatures as diverse as horses, wolves and mice were taken up by birds (and, to a lesser extent, reptiles). (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands... Families Pteropodidae Emballonuridae Rhinopomatidae Craseonycteridae Rhinolophidae Nycteridae Megadermatidae Vespertilionidae Molossidae Antrozoidae Natalidae Myzopodidae Thyropteridae Furipteridae Noctilionidae Mystacinidae Mormoopidae Phyllostomidae Bats are flying mammals in the order Chiroptera with forelimbs developed as wings. ... In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ...

Kiwi are shy, nocturnal creatures with a highly developed sense of smell and, most unusual in a bird, nostrils at the end of their long, sharp bill. They feed by thrusting the bill into the ground in search of worms, insects, and other invertebrates; though they also take fruit and, if the opportunity arises, small crayfish, amphibians and eels. A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ... Invertebrate is a term coined by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck to describe any animal without a spinal column. ... The word crayfish can mean:- Sea crayfish, also called spiny lobster or rock lobster. ... For other uses, see Amphibian (disambiguation). ... Families Many; see text An eel is any of the fishes in the order Anguilliformes. ...

Their adaptation to a terrestrial life is extensive: like all ratites they have no keel on the breastbone to anchor wing muscles, and barely any wings either: the vestiges are so small that they are invisible under the kiwi's bristly, hair-like, two-branched feathers. While birds generally have hollow bones to save weight and make flight practicable, kiwi have marrow, in the style of mammals. With no constraints on weight from flight requirements, some Brown Kiwi females carry and lay a single 450 gram egg. For its size this is the biggest egg laid by a bird. Weight is the force exerted upon an object by virtue of its position in a gravitational field. ...

It was long presumed that the kiwi's closest relatives were the other New Zealand ratites, the moa. However recent DNA studies indicate that the Ostrich is more closely related to the kiwi than moa and the kiwi's closest relatives are the Emu and the cassowaries. This theory suggests that the kiwi's ancestors arrived in New Zealand from elsewhere in Australasia well after the moa. Genera Anomalopteryx Dinornis Emeus Euryapteryx Megalapteryx Pachyornis The moa are the giant flightless birds of New Zealand. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The Ostrich (Struthio camelus, Greek sparrow camel) is the largest living bird, reaching a height of up to 2. ... Species Dromaius novaehollandiae Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) Dromaius ater (extinct) Note that the acronym EMU has several meanings. ... Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and Australia. ... Australasia is the area that includes Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the many smaller islands in the vicinity, most of which are the eastern part of Indonesia. ...

According to British scientists, the kiwi may be an ancient import from Australia. Reasearches of Oxford University have found DNA evidence connected to Australia's Emu and the Ostrich of Africa. Upon examining DNA from New Zeland's native moa, they believe that the kiwi is more closely related to its Australian cousins. (Source: News In Science) The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Species Dromaius novaehollandiae Dromaius baudinianus (extinct) Dromaius ater (extinct) Note that the acronym EMU has several meanings. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The Ostrich (Struthio camelus, Greek sparrow camel) is the largest living bird, reaching a height of up to 2. ... Genera Anomalopteryx Dinornis Emeus Euryapteryx Megalapteryx Pachyornis The moa are the giant flightless birds of New Zealand. ...

Currently there are three accepted species, one of which has two sub-species:

• The North Island Brown Kiwi, Apteryx australis mantelli is widespread in the northern two-thirds of the North Island and with about 35,000 remaining is the most common kiwi. Females stand about 400 mm high and weigh about 2.8 kg, the males about 2.2 kg. The North Island Brown has demonstrated a remarkable resilience: it adapts to a wide range of habitats, even non-native forests and some farmland. The plumage is streaky red-brown and spiky. The female usually lays two eggs, which are incubated by the male.

The distribution of Apteryx australis

The distribution of Apteryx haastii

The distribution of Apteryx owenii

• The Okarito Brown Kiwi, Apteryx australis australis, is a recently identified sub-species of the North Island Brown, slightly smaller, with a greyish tinge to the plumage and sometimes white facial feathers. Females lay as many as three eggs in a season, each one in a different nest. Male and female both incubate. These Kiwi are distributed in the South Island of New Zealand.

Analysis of mitochondrial DNA, ecology, behavior, morphology, geographic distribution and parasites of the North Island Brown Kiwi has led scientists to propose that the North Island Brown Kiwi is three distinct species. The North Island Brown Kiwi, the Okarito Brown Kiwi, or Rowi, whose distribution is restricted to a single site on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. A third distinct population of the North Island Brown Kiwi is the Tokoeka, distributed in the in lowland forest to the north of Franz Josef glacier in the South Island. Reclassification would make five recognised kiwi species. Generated by me and released under the GFDL Hand-made map distribution of Apteryx australis (Kiwi). ... Generated by me and released under the GFDL Hand-made map distribution of Apteryx australis (Kiwi). ... Generated by me and released under the GFDL File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Generated by me and released under the GFDL File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Generated by me and released under the GFDL Hand-made map distribution of Apteryx owenii. ... Generated by me and released under the GFDL Hand-made map distribution of Apteryx owenii. ... Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA, or less popularly, mDNA) is DNA which is not located in the nucleus of the cell but in the mitochondria. ... Ecology is sometimes used as an incorrect synonym for the natural environment. ... Morphology is the following: In linguistics, morphology is the study of the structure of word forms. ...

• The largest species is the Great Spotted Kiwi, Apteryx haastii, which stands about 450 mm high and weighs about 3.3 kg. (Males about 2.4 kg) It has grey-brown plumage with lighter bands. The female lays just one egg, with both sexes incubating. Population is estimated to be over 20,000, distributed through the more mountainous parts of northwest Nelson, the northern West Coast, and the Southern Alps.

• The very small Little Spotted Kiwi, Apteryx owenii is unable to survive predation by imported pigs, stoats and cats and is extinct on the mainland and the most threatened of all kiwi. About 1000 remain on Kapiti Island and it has been introduced to other predator-free islands and appears to be becoming established. A docile bird the size of a bantam, it stands 250 mm high and the female weighs 1.3 kg. She lays one egg which is incubated by the male.

Closeup on a single white feather A feather is one of the epidermal growths that forms the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on a bird. ... Binomial name Mustela erminea Linnaeus, 1758 The Stoat (Mustela erminea) is a small mammal of the family Mustelidae. ... Binomial name Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) Bantam is the name given to any small fowl but most commonly small types of chickens. ...

Reference

• Burbidge M.L., Colbourne R.M., Robertson H.A., and Baker A.J. (2003). Molecular and other biological evidence supports the recognition of at least three species of brown kiwi. Conservation Genetics 4(2):167-177
• Cooper, Alan et al (2001). Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of two extinct moas clarify ratite evolution in Nature 409: 704-707.
• News In Science

External links

• Dept. of Conservation article
• Kiwi Recovery