About kiwi

The kiwi has become New Zealand’s national icon and is instantly recognisable all over the world. But while once abundant and a part of everyday life, today few people get to see or hear kiwi. How much do you know about this hidden bird of the night? Everything about kiwi is remarkable from its sensitive bill to its powerful claws.

About the kiwi

The kiwi is truly unique and is a special part of this isolated land. It’s unthinkable that kiwi should be allowed to disappear and that we could lose connection with this taonga.

By looking after the kiwi, we find that it is actually the kiwi that is looking after us. Saving kiwi brings communities together, creates meaningful employment, and helps restore native forests where many other native species also live. It brings us back to the ngahere to spend time in the natural world away from the modern pressures of life.

Kiwi can thrive with our help and care even on farms and in productive forest, providing us all with the opportunity to give something back.

Kiwi creche - Koko

Learn more about kiwi

Rowi

Kiwi facts & characteristics

Small, flightless, and largely nocturnal, the kiwi’s characteristics make it one of the most unique creatures in the bird world.

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North Island Brown Kiwi

Kiwi species

All kiwi are the same, right? Wrong. There are actually five different species of kiwi, all with their own unique features.

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Stoat in tussock

Threats to kiwi

Kiwi are under attack from many different threats, including predators, loss of habitat, and fragmented populations.

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Givealittle Jeremy

Where to see kiwi

Many facilities around New Zealand are home to kiwi, plus there are places where, if you’re lucky, you could see one in the wild too.

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Awhina mai ki a hoki te kiwi ki te wao tapu nui a Tāne
Help return kiwi to where they used to live

Donations over $5 are tax-deductable in Aotearoa. Thank you for supporting kiwi conservation.