The little spotted kiwi, also known as little grey kiwi or kiwi pukupuku, is a small flightless bird in the kiwi family, Apterygidae. It is the smallest of the five kiwi species, at about 0.9 to 1.9 kg, about the size of a bantam. It is endemic to New Zealand, and in pre-European times occurred in both main islands, but is now mainly restricted to a number of small offshore islands and mainland reserves protected by pest-exclusion fences.
Region
New Zealand
Typical Environment
Now largely confined to predator-free offshore islands and a few fenced mainland reserves. Historically found across both main islands in lowland and montane forests. Prefers dense undergrowth in temperate broadleaf and mixed podocarp forests, as well as regenerating scrub. Reintroduced populations are carefully managed with predator control and monitoring.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Little spotted kiwi are fully flightless and rely on an exceptional sense of smell, with nostrils at the tip of their long bill to find prey underground. They form long-term monogamous pairs and often share incubation, with the male doing most of the brooding. Their single egg is enormous relative to body size, among the largest egg-to-body ratios of any bird. Conservation success has come from translocations to predator-free islands and fenced mainland sanctuaries.
Egg in hand
Temperament
shy and territorial
Flight Pattern
flightless; runs swiftly through dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen as pairs that maintain and defend territories year-round. They nest in burrows or hidden cavities and lay one large egg per clutch, occasionally two. Incubation is mostly by the male, and chicks are precocial, leaving the nest soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male gives a series of high, clear whistles that rise and carry over long distances. Females respond with lower, rougher calls, and pairs often duet to advertise territory and maintain pair bonds.
Plumage
Shaggy, hair-like feathers, pale grey-brown with fine light mottling; soft texture lacking defined flight feathers.
Diet
Feeds primarily on soil invertebrates such as earthworms, beetles, larvae, and other arthropods detected by smell and touch. Will also take small snails and occasionally soft fruits and seeds. Probes leaf litter and damp soil with its sensitive bill, often extracting prey without visual cues.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the forest floor in dense understorey, especially in moist soils rich in invertebrates. Common along forest edges, gullies, and stream margins within protected islands and fenced reserves.
