Little Spotted Kiwi

Reduced boat fares for Supporters

Date posted: 13-Apr-2012

From the 360 Discovery Team: 360 Discovery is pleased to be able to offer you a special offer on..

Date posted: 22-Mar-2012

Join the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi and amateur astronomers on Saturday 28th April for a spe..

Date posted: 16-Mar-2012

Yet again we are running our almost famous photo competition on the island so please get your ca..

Ornithology to play at Tiri Kokako Concert

Date posted: 07-Mar-2012

To celebrate our kokako and bring Kokako Week to a fitting climax, we have a great concert lined..

Date posted: 27-Feb-2012

Artwork for our Kokako Week event is now being delivered to the Island by our visiting artists a..

Date posted: 03-Feb-2012

This year's 'Celebration Week species' is the kokako. Once again, we have the kokako-inspired wo..

Pied Shag - possible new breeding species

Date posted: 29-Dec-2011

Pied Shags are a common sight on Tiritiri Matangi, sometimes feeding on the seas around the Isla..

Date posted: 23-Dec-2011

Congratulations to Te Koha Waiata and Cloudsley Shovel. After two unsuccessful seasons our found..

Date posted: 14-Dec-2011

The 10th December was a special day on the Island with the arrival of wetapunga on Tiri...

Date posted: 23-Nov-2011

So far this season the kokako team have found the nests of three pairs: Cloudsley Shovel and TKW..

Scientific name:	Apteryx owenii
Maori Name:	kiwi pukupuku

Conservation status	Endangered endemic
Mainland status:	Probably extinct
Size:	30cm, 1.3kg (males) 2kg (females)
Lifespan:	30 years
Breeding:	September - January
Diet:	Mainly invertebrates
First introduced to Tiri:	16 birds in 1993
Population on Tiri:	50 to 60 (March 2004)
Total population:	1,100 (1996)

Day visitors to Tiritiri Matangi are likely to see all but one of the translocated species of bird present on the island. The one they almost certainly won’t see is the Little Spotted Kiwi because, like all Kiwi, they are nocturnal. For those fortunate enough to spend the night on the island, a night walk can be a most rewarding experience. As the Kiwi population grows and the birds become increasingly tolerant of human presence, the chance of an encounter has gone from being a possibility to a probability.

Five pair of Little Spotted Kiwi were released on Tiri in 1993, followed by 6 more birds 2 years later. A 1997 census showed the birds are breeding well with a population of around 25. This includes the largest ever Little Spotted Kiwi recorded, a female weighing almost 2kg.

Endemic to New Zealand, there are also three other distinct species of kiwi. By far the most common are the Brown Kiwi and Tokoeka. These are widespread in the North and Stewart Islands. There are two subspecies of Tokoeka. There are also two subspecies of Brown Kiwi, the North Island and Okarito. However, evidence now suggests that these may each be a separate species.

The Little Spotted is the smallest and rarest of the Kiwi. Whilst a few birds may still exist in the South Island, the only certain populations are on six offshore islands, with most of these on Kapiti Island. Relative to body size, the egg of the Little Spotted Kiwi is the largest of any bird. Slightly larger than the Brown Kiwi is The Great Spotted Kiwi. Once found throughout the upper South Island, they exist now only in the North West.

Despite being our national symbol, the Kiwi is rarely seen outside of captivity. It is a tragedy that, without outside help they are expected to all but disappear from the mainland within fifty years. The reason for this, once again, is predation. Although adults can generally fend off attacks from all but dogs, other predators, particularly stoats, wreak havoc on nests and juvenile populations. Juveniles leave their parents very early and it is believed that only 1% to 5% survive their first year. There is some hope however, thanks to "Operation Nest Egg", a programme whereby eggs and juvenile Kiwi are removed from the wild and raised in captivity. They are then released into their original habitat when large enough to fend for themselves.

The five yearly census has just been conducted nationally. On Tiritiri Matangi this took place one week in early July 2002 using a team of dedicated volunteers and dogs. Tiritiri Matangi once again had the heaviest female and male, exceeding previous records - female: 2040g and male: 1540g. Fourteen birds were caught, of which 3 were from the original release, 3 were island bred and recorded in the 1997 census, 8 were unbanded, island bred in the last 5 years. The estimated population for the survey was approximately 50 birds.

Photography by Simon Fordham ©