The kiwi is probably one of the most fascinating birds on the planet and scientists have been studying this intriguing bird for years due to its unusual features and habits. Firstly, the kiwi is a nocturnal bird, sleeping in a burrow for most of the day, while foraging in the evenings. It is black in color and has very tiny wings, making it unable to fly. Its plumage resembles fur and it has an impeccable sense of smell, with its nostrils being located at the end of its beak. It is also the only bird in the world where the female has two ovaries, and instead of boasting tail feathers, it has whiskers. Not only is their sense of smell flawless, but their hearing is also extremely sensitive, making up for the fact that their eyesight is not as good as other nocturnal creatures. The kiwi’s dark coloring allows it to camouflage itself perfectly at night, and it will stand dead still, while blending into its environment, if a predator is in the vicinity. They feed mainly on insects and worms, and are very territorial.

When in the wild, campers and hikers will often hear the sniffing of a kiwi bird as it searches for food without seeing it. At Kiwi Encounters a nocturnal area has been created to resemble the birds’ natural habitat as closely as possible, including high tech lighting, creating an artificial moonlit evening, and allowing visitors to see them forage for food and go about their evening routines. There are also outdoor enclosures to investigate, some of which feature predators. The Kiwi Culture Exhibit provides the public with essential information in regard to the birds’ characteristics, origins and predators, which could include domesticated animals. It also features how New Zealanders were given the nickname of Kiwis and where products such as kiwi fruit and kiwi nuggets got their names.

The nursery and hatchery is where the captive breeding program is controlled and run. Their dietary needs are seen to through breeding facilities for worms and all the other creatures that kiwis prefer eating. Kiwi Encounter is an attraction for the entire family to enjoy, as it has specialized exhibits and interactive programs for children. Visiting the Kiwi Encounter centre is not only educational and exciting, but with each visitor passing through its doors, funds are being raised to continue the invaluable work of conservationists and scientists to save the kiwi bird.

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Not very many people have heard of a Kea Parrot. This average-sized parrot hails from the forested and alpine regions of New Zealand‘s South Island and it is listed as a ‘vulnerable’ species due to its relative scarcity. What makes this bird so special is the fact that it is one of the few true alpine parrots in the world. It is also an omnivore, feeding on carrion and insects in addition to the roots, berries, nectar and leaves that make up the bulk of its diet.

For those living on New Zealand’s South Island, the Kea (Nestor notabilis) is largely considered to be a rather pesky protected bird. The bird has a well-earned reputation for incurable curiosity and brilliant intelligence. While both of these traits are vital to their survival in their oftentimes harsh mountain home, they prove to be perplexing for the many humans that have settled nearby. The birds often frequent skiing areas, attracted by the prospect of feeding off the food scraps left behind by humans. Unfortunately for the humans, the Kea’s immense curiosity often leads them to become ‘pests’, as they pry apart certain rubberized car parts or steal or peck unguarded clothes. They also tend to be quite determined to investigate their new found objects fully and so often seem to be cheeky and hard to get rid of. However when you overcome the annoyance of having your favorite possessions picked apart by this pesky critter, you discover a bird that is very intelligent. The Kea has been able to solve several logical puzzles during certain research studies that have been conducted in the past. Some of these saw the bird pushing or pulling objects in a certain order so as to get to some food. Other tests saw a number of birds working as a team in order to accomplish a specific task. No wonder visitors and locals find these birds a force to be reckoned with!

Unfortunately, it is difficult to get an accurate estimate of current Kea Parrot numbers, as the bird has quite a widespread distribution at low densities. However, it is estimated that there are anywhere between 1000 and 5000 of these birds living in the area. The relatively low number of individual birds is as the result of aggressive hunting in the past. The Kea’s used to prey on livestock such as sheep, posing a serious problem for farmers in the area. As a result, the New Zealand governments paid a bounty for Kea bills, with the idea that these birds would be removed from farming areas and so cease being a problem to farmers. Unfortunately this led to some hunters venturing into national parks where they were officially protected in order to hunt them and claim the bounty. The result was that some 150,000 birds were slaughtered in about a 100 year period. In 1970 the bounty was lifted and the birds received full protection in 1986. Problem birds are now removed from farms by officials and relocated instead of being killed. Keas are generally very social birds and they do not do well in isolation and so are not kept as pets. They live for about 15 years and generally live in groups of up to 15 individuals. No doubt if you visit South Island’s higher reaches, you will encounter one of these fascinating birds for yourself.

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Recent research reveals that the New Zealand bellbird is able to change its nesting behavior if necessary in order to protect itself from predators. The finding is of massive importance since the introduction of alien predators has been a threat that shore birds have had to face for many years. Often this usually unintentional phenomenon results in the extinction of a number of endemic bird species and some 25 percent of all endangered species continue to be under threat from exotic predators.

The research was lead by Dr Melanie Massaro and Dr Jim Briskie who work for the University of Canterbury. Massaro feels that the impact of exotic predators is particularly noticeable on birds that are native to oceanic islands, chalking this phenomenon down to evolutionary concepts and the fact that the birds seem to be particularly naive about the dangers posed by these new animals. However, it would seem that the situation is not quite as dire as previously thought. After studying the bellbird, a species which is endemic to New Zealand, the researchers found that this previously naive bird was soon able to adapt its nesting habits in response to the threat that was posed by large numbers of exotic predators that had been introduced by humans. The birds were studied in high risk (predators a constant threat), recent low risk (the predators recently removed) and permanent low risk (predators never introduced) areas and it was found that females spent more time on the nest where there was an increased risk of predation. This defensive behavior minimized predator activity at the nesting site and decreased the risk of egg predation.

Over the centuries the introduction of a number of predatory or opportunistic mammals, such as rats, stoats and cats, has led to the extinction of a number of endemic island birds. However these new findings show that quite a few birds have at least a limited capacity to fight back. The marked increase in parental activity during the nesting period greatly reduced the risk of a predator destroying the nest. This shows that the birds are not trapped in a particular mode of behavior, but rather that they are able to adapt their routines in ways which are greatly beneficial to their young. Previously it was thought that this sort of change would take centuries occur, but instead it seems that these changes took place over a matter of only a few years. It is hoped that the new finding could help conservationists to encourage birds to respond to exotic predators and so help ensure their own survival – especially in such cases where these predators cannot be eliminated.

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The colorful and unusual takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) is not a bird that many people are familiar with. In fact, it wasn’t very long ago when the bird was thought to be extinct since there were no sightings from 1948 until very recently. So, while very few people are aware of its existence, takahes are slowly being cast under the ornithological spotlight since the re-emergence of this species has many bird enthusiasts nattering enthusiastically amongst one another.

The flightless takahe has colorful plumage, a large, strong beak and rather stout legs. The feathers on the bird’s neck and body take on lovely purple-blue color, while the wings and back are a pleasant shade of green. The bill is reddish pink with a red frontal shield, while the legs are a dark pink. While the male and female bear similar plumage, the juveniles have only pale brown plumage. The female is slightly smaller than the male. The overall length of the bird is about 63 centimeters and, as such, it is the largest living member of the Rallidae (rail) family.

Currently Takahe’s are most commonly sighted at the location where they were first rediscovered – the Murchison Mountains in New Zealand. However, now that the population in that area is breeding successfully, small numbers of the birds have also been taken to four safe and appropriate sights, namely: Tiritiri Matangi, Kapiti, Maud and Manna. Those wishing to see the bird in captivity can go to the Mt Bruce Wildlife centers in Te Anau.

At one stage the Takahe nearly died out completely due to over-hunting, introduced predators and loss of habitat. While a few did survive and manage to reproduce, there is now a shortage of strong genes and inbreeding is a problem. As a result a lot of research is currently being done to ensure that captive breeding stock is as genetically diverse as possible. If you are planning to do some bird watching in New Zealand, head to the Murchison Mountains and keep an eye out for the Takahe. You’ll find these birds in alpine grasslands where it can often be seen plucking grass and eating the lower parts of the stalk.

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One of the world’s oddest bird species is the kiwi. This New Zealand bird species seems to break all the rules on what it means to be a bird:

• It doesn’t fly,
• Its feathers look like fur (the feathers form narrow, waterproof hairs),
• It doesn’t have wings or a tail (its wings exist only as small, vestigial stubs hiding under its “fur”),
• It has a good sense of smell (very unusual in birds).

This odd, chicken-sized, wingless bird hunts at night, by inserting its long, narrow beak into the forest floor’s soil. It sniffs out its favorite food, earthworms, with its sensitive nostrils. These nostrils are located at the tip of the beak (unlike all other birds, whose nostrils sit atop the beak’s base).

Another kiwi oddity is its enormous eggs. Each egg takes 4 weeks to develop in the female’s body; by the time she lays, it’s a full quarter of her body weight! The huge egg then needs 2-3 months of incubation before it hatches.

New Zealand’s 3 kiwi species are rare in the wild, and are getting rarer all the time. Their populations drop at 6% a year, due to land clearing and introduced predators (like dogs, cats and stoats). But humans are making a big effort to save them from extinction – many kiwis are being transferred from the New Zealand mainland to predator-free islands off the coast, where they are more likely to survive. One translocation, of a handful of Little Spotted Kiwis to Kapiti Island, resulted in a population of over a 1000 birds!

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