Great Spotted KiwiApteryx maximaLarge, light grayish brown kiwi with white horizontal banding or mottling along the length of the body. Restricted to the native forests, scrubland, and upland tussock grasslands of the northwestern South Island of New Zealand. More often heard than seen, including loud sniffling as it forages at night for invertebrates. Male produces a series of burry, rising high-pitched whistles. Female has a lower ascending burry whistle. Pairs often duet. Could be confused with Weka by voice and shape; look for the kiwi’s much longer bill and lack of tail, and listen for its multisyllabic call.Apterygidae bird family
Order Apterygiformes · 3 selected species
Browse verified BirdLens profiles selected for complete taxonomy, substantial descriptive coverage, and visual evidence. Open a species to compare its identification notes, distribution, behavior, sounds, and maps.
Great Spotted KiwiApteryx maximaLarge, light grayish brown kiwi with white horizontal banding or mottling along the length of the body. Restricted to the native forests, scrubland, and upland tussock grasslands of the northwestern South Island of New Zealand. More often heard than seen, including loud sniffling as it forages at night for invertebrates. Male produces a series of burry, rising high-pitched whistles. Female has a lower ascending burry whistle. Pairs often duet. Could be confused with Weka by voice and shape; look for the kiwi’s much longer bill and lack of tail, and listen for its multisyllabic call.Great Spotted KiwiApteryx maximaLarge, light grayish brown kiwi with white horizontal banding or mottling along the length of the body. Restricted to the native forests, scrubland, and upland tussock grasslands of the northwestern South Island of New Zealand. More often heard than seen, including loud sniffling as it forages at night for invertebrates. Male produces a series of burry, rising high-pitched whistles. Female has a lower ascending burry whistle. Pairs often duet. Could be confused with Weka by voice and shape; look for the kiwi’s much longer bill and lack of tail, and listen for its multisyllabic call.
Little Spotted KiwiApteryx oweniiNew Zealand’s smallest kiwi species. Light grayish brown with white horizontal banding or “spotting” along the length of the body. Restricted to offshore predator-free island sanctuaries and to the mainland Zealandia sanctuary in Wellington. More often heard than seen, including loud sniffling as it forages for invertebrates. Male produces a series of burry, rising high-pitched whistles. Female has a lower ascending burry whistle. Both sexes repeat their call many times, often duetting. Could be confused with Weka by voice and shape; look for the kiwi’s much longer bill and lack of tail, and listen for its multisyllabic call.