The kiwi bird is one of those bird species that will surprise you, as it is rarely seen and it mostly lives in places like New Zealand. You may see exemplars of the kiwi bird in several zoos around the globe. You should know that there are various types of kiwi bird species. In general, there are five divisions recognized by researchers on this type of bird and a number of other subspecies that have evolved from the mixture of two general species.

The biggest type of kiwi bird is that of the Great Spotted Kiwi kind. This produces the largest exemplars of the bird, growing to approximately 45 cm (18 in). In appearance, there are no major differences from the other ones, though spots on the plumage has been noted to be more visible. On the opposite weight balance is the Little Spotted Kiwi. This kiwi bird is so small and fragile, that it was almost extinct by the animal predators. In recent years, the remaining exemplars of this kind of kiwi bird have been moved to predator free zones of New Zealand, so that they can reform the massive group they once had. The Okarito Kiwi is another type of kiwi bird. This particular one was rendered to be the ancestor of the formation of this bird species. Although it has several differences in appearance and in lifestyle, the Okarito Kiwi is one of the representative types of the bird. The Southern Brown Kiwi is, as the name depicts it, the kiwi bird to be found in the South of New Zealand mostly and which is distinguished from the others due to its darker color. The North Island Brown Kiwi stands in the same category as the previous one, but to be found in the Northern part of the island.

The kiwi bird has always been very important for the communities in New Zealand and it has become their symbol. Due to this fact, the small bird is very much placed under protection, as it has been always under the threat of larger predators in the region.