North Island Brown Kiwi

About the North Island Brown Kiwi

The North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) is a nocturnal flightless bird and species of kiwi that is widespread in the northern two-thirds of the North Island of New Zealand and, with about 35,000 remaining, it is the most common kiwi species. The eggs laid by the North Island brown kiwi are among the largest eggs relative to its body size.

The genome of Apteryx mantelli was sequenced in 2015. It is a large brown kiwi, possessing spiky, streaked feathers. North Island brown kiwi display size-based sexual dimorphism, where the females are observably larger than the males. The males weigh between 1.44–3.06 kg (3.2–6.7 lb) and females weigh between 2.06–3.85 kg (4.5–8.5 lb). The long bill measures 13–20.5 cm (5.1–8.1 in) in length.

The North Island brown kiwi, or brown kiwi at the time, was first described as Apteryx australis by Abraham Dee Bartlett, in 1813, based on a specimen from Dusky Sound, South Island, New Zealand. This is a monotypic species.

The brown kiwi (then Apteryx australis) was originally thought to additionally include the rowi (Okarito kiwi) and the tokoeka species. However, through genetic testing in 1994, it was... Wikipedia →