Apteryx mantelli                         Omnivore           Nocturnal         Status: Endangered

There are five species of Kiwi native to New Zealand. The one pictured in Komodo is the North Island Brown, which is the most common, however, the presence of introduced mammals such as cats, dogs and stoats is a continuing threat.

This flightless and tailless bird is remarkable for a number of reasons. It lays the largest egg in proportion to body size of any bird. It has an unusually keen sense of smell, with nostrils located at the end of its beak, enabling it to forage for worms, grubs and other invertebrates underground and in leaf litter. Finally, kiwis are the only birds with ovaries and they also have bone marrow.

Photo courtesy of Rod Morris. You can view pictures of kiwis and other animals by this renowned wildlife photographer in Rod Morris’ online gallery.