The Little Spotted Kiwi, (Apteryx Owienii), is found primarily in the islands of New Zealand.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS
KPCOFGS
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Aves
Order - Struthioniformes
Family - Apterygidae
Genus - Apteryx
Species - Owenii
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
- The little spotted kiwi has a length of 35–45 cm (14–18 in) and the weight of the male is 0.9–1.3 kg (2.0–2.9 lb) and the female weighs 1–1.9 kg (2.2–4.2 lb), making it the smallest species of kiwi, as well as the smallest ratite.
- Their feathers are pale-mottled gray, with fine white mottling, and are shaggy looking.
- They have no tail
- Their bill is long and ivory (Little Spotted Kiwi).
BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Little spotted kiwis eat grubs and other small insects that are found underground, and occasionally eat berries.
- The sharp talons and long beak, dig into the ground and then shove their long beak down the soft ground.
- Since they can't fly to get to insects or food on trees and their eyesight is very poor they depend on a keen sense of smell, long beak and talons (Little Spotted Kiwi).
- They nest in little burrows that they dig which hold one to two eggs at a time.
- Males have to incubate the eggs for a period of about 63-76 days.
- A little spotted kiwi laying an egg is the equivalent of a woman giving birth to a six year old child. That's how small they are compared to their eggs.
- They are mostly found in shrubs and grassland.
- They are located on the islands of New Zealand including; Kapiti Island, Red Mercury Island, Hen Island, Tiritiri Matangi Island, Long Island, Motuihe Island, and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.
KPCOFGS
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Aves
Order - Struthioniformes
Family - Apterygidae
Genus - Apteryx
Species - Owenii