Pet Dogs – A Real Danger to the Kiwi Bird

Filed under: Kiwi Bird - 24 Feb 2012  | Spread the word !

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The kiwi bird is the national symbol of New Zealand and one of the natives’ favorite animals. The popularity of the kiwi bird has mainly to do with the numerous curiosities related to it. For instance, the kiwi bird is the only known bird in the world to have external nostrils at the end of its bill. Also, the kiwi bird lays down huge eggs, which are enormous in comparison to its small body. The kiwi bird mates for life, its monogamy being strange but very interesting at the same time. Nevertheless, the kiwi bird female is the ‘boss’, as it is larger and usually dominates the male.

Despite all these amazing facts, the kiwi bird is endangered and facing many threats and predators. This may come as a surprise for most people, but pet dogs are actually a real danger to the kiwi bird. Pet dogs are going crazy whenever they spot a kiwi bird, as their scent is very appealing and they represent an attractive pray. A picture of 60 kiwi birds killed by pet dogs has been circulating on the Internet for quite some time now, pointing out to the danger that the kiwi bird is facing due to pet dogs. Do not just assume that because your pet dog is cute and fuzzy it does not represent a threat to the kiwi bird.

In fact, recent studies have shown that pet dogs are far more dangerous to the kiwi bird than hunting dogs or farm dogs. This is because pet dogs are not under control, so owners will have a hard time controlling their dogs whenever they spot a kiwi bird. Even if the dog is small in size, the kiwi bird will still be a target, as even the smallest nudge can crush the bird’s chest and lead to its death. This is why you should understand the risk that the kiwi bird is facing due to pet dogs. You should always keep them on a leash and not let them run freely wherever they want to, because killing a kiwi bird is not something they can help doing, but it is a real shame.

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The Behavior of the Kiwi Bird

Filed under: Kiwi Bird - 02 Feb 2012  | Spread the word !

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The Kiwi bird is one of the cutest birds you will ever see on this planet. People not only love the Kiwi bird for its cuteness, but also for the interesting facts related to its behavior. As you probably know, the Kiwi bird is the national symbol of New Zealand and it has been present on the island long before humans settled there. This is actually a reason behind the behavior of the Kiwi bird. As their natural habitat was suddenly occupied by humans, and the number of other animals began to increase, Kiwi birds became nocturnal.

The intrusion of its habitat was very harsh on the Kiwi bird, because as it is flightless, its defense possibilities are limited. As a result, the Kiwi bird can mostly be seen in the nighttime. Also, the Kiwi bird is very shy and even lone. The Kiwi bird lives in beech forests, subtropical and temperate areas, but it has been also forced to adapt to different habitats, including tussock grassland, sub-alpine and alpine. Luckily, people can now get the chance to see the Kiwi bird more often, as the number of sanctuaries has increased. In these sanctuaries, the Kiwi bird can be even spotted in daylight, because there are no predators there.

The Kiwi bird has a very developed sense of smell, which compensates for its inability of flying. In fact, the Kiwi bird is the only bird with nostrils at the end of its long beak. This characteristic helps them locate insects and worms in the underground, with no need of seeing them. Other things that the Kiwi bird eats are small invertebrates, grubs and seeds, but also small crayfish, amphibians and fruit.

Perhaps one of the most special features of the Kiwi bird is that it usually mates for life. In this aspect, we may say that the behavior of the Kiwi bird is very similar to the one of humans, in the sense that once they bind, the Kiwi male and female live as a monogamous couple. Also, the male is the one to incubate the egg, which is usually very large in comparison to the little body of the Kiwi bird. Regarding its lifespan, the Kiwi bird can live up to 30 years. Unfortunately, these cases are becoming rarer, because the Kiwi bird is endangered and is facing many threats.

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