North Island brown kiwi
[20] Historically, prior to human colonisation, New Zealand’s indigenous forests covered terrestrial land and provided the assumed primary habitat for all Kiwi species,[21] which thrived in this ecosystem.[8][22][23] However, due to wide spread deforestation and destruction of these native forests post colonisation, the availability and abundance of these preferred habitats has significantly decreased.[26] It has been proposed that this adaptation arose due to their nocturnal, forest-floor foraging behaviour, where low light conditions render visual perception less critical.[8][26] Remote touch foraging is facilitated by the bill-tip sensory organ found at the end of kiwi species long, narrow slightly down curved beaks.[28] The bill-tip organ consists of mechanoreceptors, such as Herbst corpuscles and terminal cell receptors, found within sensory pits in the bone of the beak tip.[27][28] These mechanoreceptors are sensitive to the vibrations and pressure gradients soil dwelling invertebrates make underground, allowing kiwi to detect their prey without visual or auditory cues.[8] This form of foraging is thought to allow for either olfaction or tactile sensing of prey, with the North Island brown kiwi capable of switching between these sensory modalities depending on the available stimuli.[30][32] Additionally, prior to copulation, North Island brown kiwi pairs have also been observed to engage in mutual chasing, leaping, loud screeches and snorting.[33] After the nest is prepared, the female within the pair contributes her sole parental effort by laying significantly energetically expensive, large, highly nutritious eggs.[38] The most common distinctive sound produced by the North Island brown kiwi is termed the “whistle call”, which is performed solo or in a duet.[38][39] Generally, the vocalisations of the North Island brown kiwi are believed to play roles in territory defence, social communication and reproductive/ courtship purposes.[39][40] Corfield’s work[38] has suggested that North Island brown kiwi vocalisation is suited for short-range calls to close-by individuals and territory neighbours.[40] The North Island brown kiwi is Vulnerable, per the IUCN Red List,[1] with the major threat coming from predators, such as dogs, cats, and stoat (Mustela erminea).
Conservation statusVulnerableIUCN 3.1Scientific classificationEukaryotaAnimaliaChordataPalaeognathaeApterygiformesApterygidaeApteryxBinomial nameBartlett, ADSynonymsLessonSharpeNorth IslandNew ZealandplumageAbraham Dee BartlettDusky SoundSouth IslandtokoekaŌtorohangaCanterbury MuseumLittle Barrier IslandPonui IslandKapiti IslandKawau IslandIUCN Red List1080 poison operationAnimal Health BoardTongariroIUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesFlickrBibcodeBirds of New ZealandBellbirdBlack-billed gullBrown creeperBrown tealBuff-banded railDabchickDouble-banded ploverNew Zealand falconFantailGrey warblerGrey-faced petrelSacred kingfisherLong-tailed cuckooKererūNew Zealand dotterelSouth Island robinNorth Island robinNew Zealand scaupParadise shelduckPūkekoRiflemanNew Zealand rock wrenShining cuckooSilvereyeSouth Island oystercatcherSpotted shagTomtitVariable oystercatcherWhite-fronted ternWhiteheadWrybillGreat spotted kiwiLittle spotted kiwiOkarito kiwiSouthern brown kiwiYellow-eyed penguinKākāpōSouth Island takahēFiordland penguinBlue penguinBlack-fronted ternBlack stiltBlue duckFernbirdFoveaux shagKākāNorth Island kōkakoSouth Island kōkakoNew Zealand fairy ternNew Zealand king shagNew Zealand storm petrelNorthern royal albatrossOtago shagOrange-fronted parakeetRed-billed gullNorth Island saddlebackSouth Island saddlebackShore ploverStitchbirdYellowheadChatham IslandsBlack robinChatham albatrossChatham gerygoneChatham oystercatcherChatham parakeetChatham petrelChatham pigeonChatham shagChatham snipeMagenta petrelPitt shagSubantarctic islandsAntipodean albatrossAuckland railAuckland shagAuckland tealAntipodes parakeetBounty shagCampbell albatrossCampbell shagCampbell tealErect-crested penguinReischek's parakeetSnares snipeSnares penguinSubantarctic snipeSouth Island piopioNew Zealand bittern