The kiwi is a member of the ratite family, which includes the ostrich, emu, rhea, cassowary and the long-extinct moa, and if action is not taken soon the kiwi will join the moa on the list of terminated animals. A stout muscular bird, shy and nocturnal, which inhabits the forest floor. Sadly there are probably fewer than 15,000 wild birds left in the country and currently the numbers are going down, not up. It sleeps for up to twenty hours a day, which probably explains why it normally lives to the age of 20 or 25. The females are bigger than the males and lay huge eggs, equivalent to around a fifth of their body weight. After eighty days, the eggs hatch and the chicks live off the rich yolk; neither parent feeds them and they emerge from the nest totally independent.

The kiwi is one of the few birds in the world with a well-developed sense of smell . At night you might hear them snuffling around in the dark, using the nostrils at the end of their bill to detect earthworms, beetles, cicada larvae, spiders and also koura (freshwater crayfish), berries and the occasional frog. Armed also with sensitive bristles at the base of its bill and a highly developed sense of hearing, the kiwi can detect other birds and animals on its territory and will readily attack them with its claws.

The Brown Kiwi ( Apteryx australis ), the largest species, is famous for its big nose, bad temper and for being a tough fighter against intruders on their territory. They live in a wide range of vegetation, including exotic forests and rough farmland on the North Island. In 1993 the Tokoeka or Okarito Brown , which is almost identical, was identified as a separate species. Inhabiting the South Island and Stewart Island, the southern tokoeka are the most communal of the kiwi family and can be seen poking about along the tideline within a few metres of one another. A subspecies, the Haast Tokoeka , are found only in Fiordland.

The Little Spotted Kiwi or Kiwi Pukupuku ( Apteryx owenii ) is the smallest and rarest of the kiwi, found on only six offshore islands, including Kapiti Island. Predators and land clearance are largely responsible for the low numbers, although a programme to remove predators from the offshore islands has seen their fortunes revive. This species is mellow and docile by nature and pairs often share daytime shelter, going their separate ways to feed, grunting to one another as they pass. Little Spotted Kiwi rarely probe for food, instead finding prey on the ground or in the forest litter. In spring, during courtship, birds stand with bills crossed and pointing downwards while shuffling around each other, grunting, for up to twenty minutes. The best time to hear them is just after dark from high points around an island. Listen carefully for the male's shrill whistle and the female's gentle purr.

Great Spotted Kiwi or Roa ( Apteryx haastii ) inhabit regions of snow-covered peaks, herb fields, with rocky outcrops, valleys of red tussock and mountains clothed in beech forest and alpine scrub. Their severe living conditions account for the many legends that surround them. Early European explorers told stories of remote kiwi the size of a turkey with powerful spurs on its legs, whose call was louder than any other of the species. Their harsh home has also helped preserve these big handsome birds, keeping them safe from the pigs, dogs and stoats that have killed so many other kiwi species.

Should you want to help save these symbols of New Zealand you can make a donation of $2 direct to the Department of Conservation, Royal Forests and Birds Protection Society and Bank of New Zealand programme.