Why are they so special?

Many experts believe that kiwi evolved to occupy a habitat and lifestyle that elsewhere in the world would be filled by a mammal. This means that as they evolved, kiwi developed features we would associate more with other warm-blooded animals than with bird species.



Unlike most birds, they have a highly developed sense of smell and touch, and strong hearing. Where bird skeletons are typically light and filled with air sacs to enable flight, the kiwi has heavy, muscular legs that make up almost a third of their weight: perfect for a life spent on the ground.



Kiwis dig burrows for their nests, something we associate more with rats and other ground-based mammals than any birds. And the eggs they lay are enormous, nearly 20% of their bodyweight, proportionally one of the largest of any bird. Kiwi chicks emerge from their eggs with full plumage and are capable of feeding themselves.