Southern brown kiwi / Tokoeka (Apteryx australis)

Stewart Island, New Zealand. Jan 12, 2017.

comments (5)

Thibaud Aronson

Lion

Stewart Island is definitely the best place to see wild kiwis, as there are several thousand on the island, and they are relatively unafraid of people, especially when using red lights that don't disturb them. We started off with our guide under some pretty serious rain, but as it was our last night on the last island, and even worse weather had prevented us from going out the night before, we had to go out to hopefully see a kiwi. We headed to the airstrip, where kiwis come out to forage in the short grass. After walking for about 40 minutes, we spotted our first kiwi, a female, forging just along the edge, but she was pretty skittish. We walked on, looking for others, but had no luck. When we came back, the first female was out in the grass, along with a second female, and they chased each other around. They use their long bill as a kind of cane, which gives them an incredibly strange gait. With hairlike feathers and no tail, they are a bizarre, shambling mix between an oversized chicken, an old man and a bear.
A small male then came out and walked right up to us before deciding that we were scary and running away into the bush. We watched the kiwis for about 20 minutes, meters away from us, as the rain stopped. We finally headed back with giant grins on our faces, and then just before getting back to the car, two males zipped across the road and starting fighting in the brush, making unbelievably bizarre squeaks and growls. Then a female and an immature came out and started foraging just along the road. The young one was particularly curious, and came within 50 cm of my shoe! This is the one in the photo.
That total of 7 kiwis was a new record for our guide!
Easily in the top 5 wildlife encounters I've had. Posted 8 years ago

Ferdy Christant

Lion

+10 for the story and the encounter. That must have been a memorable experience. To me, as an outsider to NZ wildlife, it looks like the typical species that one existed, but no longer does. But it's still there, making it even more bizarre. And the specific sounds and behavior you describe only add to the mystery. Well done!

By the way, maybe you already know this, but should you be interested in going into more length regarding memorable encounters, we have a forum for that:
https://www.jungledragon.com/forum/27/wildlife_stories.html

A photo with description will of course also do, just pointing out the option. Posted 8 years ago
1. Thibaud Aronson
  
  Lion
  
  Yeah, there are 5 species of kiwis alive today. We saw 2, one briefly on the North Island and these guys. They are hands down, the strangest birds I have ever seen.
  Thanks for the tip about the forum, I'll see if I have any nice stories when I get back from Central America :-) Posted 8 years ago

Barry

Lion

Wow, seeing Kiwis in the wild - that would definitely be one of my 5 top wildlife encounters. Great to know that in this world of environmental catastrophe, that one can still experience such things. Posted 7 years ago
1. Thibaud Aronson
  
  Lion
  
  Absolutely, especially considering the mess with all the invasive species in NZ... Posted 7 years ago

The Southern brown kiwi

The southern brown kiwi, tokoeka, or common kiwi, ''Apteryx australis'', is a species of kiwi from New Zealand's South Island. Until 2000 it was considered conspecific with the North Island brown kiwi, and still is by some authorities.

Info 1 0

Similar species: Kiwis

Species identified by Thibaud Aronson

By Thibaud Aronson

Uploaded Mar 14, 2017. Captured Jan 12, 2017 23:23 in 86 Airport Rd, Stewart Island 9818, New Zealand.

Explore New Zealand 177 144 0

PENTAX K-3
f/5.6
1/10s
ISO3200
135mm

Captured in the summer. More summer photos.