Okarito Kiwi

About

The rarest kiwi with pale grey-brown plumage and a very long bill. Nocturnal and territorial, detected mainly by its high-pitched call. Endemic to the Okarito forest on New Zealand's West Coast. Listed as Vulnerable; intensive management including Operation Nest Egg has stabilized the small population.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Weight	2336.25 g	82.41 oz

Identification

Plumage

Grayish-brown, hair-like plumage with faint rufous streaking; paler and grayer than other brown kiwis. Facial region may show faint whitish wash. No wing or tail feathers visible. Sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Restricted to Okarito sanctuary forest and adjacent lowland podocarp-hardwood forest on the West Coast of South Island, New Zealand. Nests in burrows on the forest floor in moist dense bush. Elevation below 200 m.

🌲 Forest

Geographic Range

Endemic to New Zealand's South Island. Flightless, nocturnal, and sedentary in dense temperate rainforest and alpine scrub year-round.

Diet & Feeding

Nocturnal feeder in Okarito rainforest; probes soft soils for earthworms, amphipods, and insect larvae near wetland margins.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: BU,CV.

Clutch Size

1-3

Sound

Song

Male produces a long, clear whistled 'ooo-kee-wee', female responds with a lower, raucous 'kurrr'. The Rowi's call is softer and slightly higher-pitched than other kiwi species.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Apterygiformes (Kiwis)
Family	Apterygidae (Kiwis)
Genus	Apteryx
Species	Apteryx rowi

Distribution

Okarito Kiwi has been recorded in 1 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇳🇴 Norway

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Okarito Kiwi eat?

Nocturnal feeder in Okarito rainforest; probes soft soils for earthworms, amphipods, and insect larvae near wetland margins.

Where does the Okarito Kiwi live?

Restricted to Okarito sanctuary forest and adjacent lowland podocarp-hardwood forest on the West Coast of South Island, New Zealand. Nests in burrows on the forest floor in moist dense bush. Elevation below 200 m.

Is the Okarito Kiwi endangered?

The Okarito Kiwi has a conservation status of Vulnerable.

How does the Okarito Kiwi nest?

Nest type: BU,CV.

What does the Okarito Kiwi sound like?

Male produces a long, clear whistled 'ooo-kee-wee', female responds with a lower, raucous 'kurrr'. The Rowi's call is softer and slightly higher-pitched than other kiwi species.

How big is the Okarito Kiwi?

The Okarito Kiwi has a weight of 2336.25 g.

What order and family does the Okarito Kiwi belong to?

The Okarito Kiwi (Apteryx rowi) belongs to the order Apterygiformes and the family Apterygidae.