Kiwi Information Report

The kiwi bird is a native bird to New Zealand. They are a flightless bird and are quite mammal-like with their adaptations. They have behaviour and structural adaptations.

A kiwi has two main behaviour adaptations which are being nocturnal and flightless. Kiwis are nocturnal which means they come out in the dark. They are also now flightless. This is because before humans arrived about 1000 years ago, there were no land mammals that preyed on birds. Kiwis predators were hunting birds that once ruled New Zealand. So kiwi adapted to walking and coming out at night as that was the best way to avoid the predators.

A kiwi has also some structural adaptations to suit its habitat. Because kiwi do not fly, their feathers have changed to a different texture to suit living on the ground. They are warmer and are much fluffier. The patterns on kiwi feathers camouflage the bird, letting them disappear in the dark or bush. A kiwi has a great sense of smell. This helps kiwi locate food beneath the soil and in leaf litter.

Many of the kiwis adaptations are not working for them because of the people's arrival in New Zealand. When people arrived in New Zealand they also brought rats, stoats and weasels. The forest floor has become a dangerous place for New Zealand’s flightless birds.The pests like rats steal the kiwi eggs and kill the kiwis. 1080 got introduced to New Zealand in 1954 to kill possums but some kiwis can come across it and eat it so they die too.

Kiwis are now endangered because their adaptations aren’t working for them any more. We need to help them by trapping the pests that are killing them so they do not become extinct.