The Māori language word kiwi is generally accepted to be "of imitative origin" from the call. However, some linguists derive the word from See more

Before the arrival of humans in the 13th century or earlier, New Zealand's only endemic mammals were three species of bat, … See more

The Māori traditionally believed that kiwi were under the protection of Tāne Mahuta, god of the forest. They were used as food and their feathers were used for kahu kiwi—ceremonial cloaks. … See more

• "Great Spotted Kiwi", Species: birds, ARKive, archived from the original on 14 June 2007, retrieved 31 October 2006.
• "Land birds: Kiwi", Native animals: birds, New Zealand Department of Conservation, archived from the original on 3 October 2009, retrieved 25 … See more

Their adaptation to a terrestrial life is extensive: like all the other ratites (ostrich, emu, rhea and cassowary), they have no keel on the sternum to anchor wing muscles. The vestigial wings are so small that they are invisible under the bristly, hair-like, two … See more

Nationwide studies show that only around 5–10% of kiwi chicks survive to adulthood without management. As of 2018 over 70% of kiwi populations are unmanaged. However, in areas under active pest management, survival rates for North Island brown kiwi … See more

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