The Kiwi bird is native from New Zealand and it currently is the national symbol of the island. The symbol of the kiwi bird became internationally known starting with 1906. The kiwi bird is considered to be unique both when it comes to its physical appearance and its habits. Nowadays, most of the kiwi bird species are endangered. There are five species of kiwi birds known today and they include the North Island Brown Kiwi, The Great Spotted Kiwi, The Lesser Spotted Kiwi, Rowi and Tokeska. Still, no matter the species, the kiwi bird is an amazing and beautiful bird.

The kiwi bird is a nocturnal one, with a life span between 20 and 30 years. However, a kiwi bird can also live up to 50 years. The are many curious facts about the kiwi bird and one of the most interesting ones is that they usually mate for life, living in pair. At some species of kiwi birds, the male is left with the responsibility of incubation, as they sit on eggs for a longer period of time than females. Usually, 70 to 85 days of incubation are required. The eggs of the kiwi bird are very large, in comparison with the weight of the female adult kiwi bird, as an egg averages about 20 percent of the female’s weight. However, a female kiwi bird is much larger than the male. The average body temperature of the kiwi bird is 38 degrees C, two degrees lower than the one of all other bird species.

A kiwi bird cannot fly, but has very strong legs to dig into the ground, where the bird lives in burrows. The kiwi bird is one of the smallest birds in the world, actually the smallest one in the family of Ratities birds, which also includes the Emu, Ostrich and the Moa bird. One of the most interesting facts about the kiwi bird is that it has developed a strong sense of smell. The kiwi bird is also considered to be unique because it has no tail. The kiwi bird can be heard making sniffing noises at night, as it tries to clear dirt of its nostrils, determined by the way the bird searches for food.

The kiwi bird is native from New Zealand, so it comes as no surprise that it has become the island’s national symbol. Flightless, and no bigger than the size of a chicken, the kiwi bird is very precious and people all over the world have grown to be very fond of it. The only thing is that it is nocturnal, so the kiwi bird sleeps during the day and is active at nighttime. Its unique characteristics turned the kiwi bird into one of the most beloved birds, but unfortunately there are not many places where people can see it.

Being the national bird of New Zealand, it is obvious that the best place to look for the kiwi bird is this beautiful country. So if you are a kiwi bird’s passionate, you can see it at the Whangarei Kiwi Sanctuary, the Moehau Kiwi Sanctuary on the Coromadel Peninsula, the Tongariro Kiwi Sanctuary, the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary or the Haast Kiwi Sanctuary. These are all sanctuaries, which have been set up by the Department of Conservations, in order to protect the kiwi birds and to find new ways to increase their number. One of the largest public collections of kiwi birds can be seen at the Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park, which is located in the heart of the North Island. Other places where you can see the kiwi bird in its natural habitat are Zealandia, in Wellington,Maungatautari Restoration Project, Bushy Park Forest Reserve, Otanewainuku Forest, Hurunui Mainland Island, Kiwi Wildlife Park at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua and Kapiti Island Natural Reserve.

As you can see, in New Zealand and a few island neighbors, you can easily find the kiwi bird. However, besides these places, in the rest of the world it is pretty hard to see the kiwi bird, as it can be found in no more than 13 zoos worldwide, outside New Zealand. So the cities where you can see the kiwi bird, in captivity, are London, Frankfurt, Berlin, Walsrode, Washington, San Diego, Columbus and Alphen aan den Rijn (Netherlands).