Kiwi - Rakiura Tokoeka - Apteryx australis.
The Kiwi is said to be New Zealand’s honorary mammal. It has feathers like hair, heavy marrow filled bones, and nostrils at the tip of its beak. All mammal like characteristics. This strange, shaggy, bumbling creature with its tailless backside and useless little wings, spends the nights snuffling and grunting about while probing its long beak into the soil and leaf litter searching for food.
Rakiura Tokoeka are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates, such as worms, insects, and spiders, as well as fruits and seeds.
Together forever
Rakiura Tokoeka are monogamous birds and form long-term pair bonds. They have a low reproductive rate, with females typically laying only one or two eggs per breeding season. The egg is so large that takes up the majority of the space inside the kiwi abdomen.
All about the whanau
Both parents and previous seasons juveniles take turns incubating the eggs and caring for the chicks, which hatch fully feathered and are able to forage for themselves shortly after hatching.
Rakiura locals
The Rakiura Tokoeka is a sub-species of the Southern Brown Kiwi and is endemic to Stewart Island / Rakiura. Being an iconic bird, Kiwi are a popular attraction for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike.
The best way to see a Kiwi on Stewart Island is to join a Kiwi Spotting tour where the guides are passionate about kiwi and minimising any disturbance to the birds. This in turn makes it a better experience for all.