- Apteryx maxima
Apteryx haastii
Identification
50–60 cm
Plumage irregularly mottled with blackish-brown on a paler, greyer background and strongly tinged chestnut on the back. Bill whitish to pinkish, legs pale to dark brown.
Distribution
South Island, New Zealand, mainly in the north-west of the island with records from the Paparoa NP, Lewis's Pass and the Southern Alps at Arthur's Pass. Resident.
Taxonomy
The scientific name formerly used for this species was shown to refer to a group of hybrids between two other species. It was therefore replaced by maxima[2].
Subspecies
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Upland beech forest, rough farmland and scrub. A very difficult bird to find, only likely to be seen in Paparoa NP.
Behaviour
Diet
They nest in a hole in tree-roots, dense vegetation, or hollow log, sometimes an excavated burrow. They usually lay 1 egg, sometimes 2, ivory-white to pale greenish. Incubated by male.
Diet
Their diet consists of worms, insect larvae and fallen fruit.
Vocalisation
Little-known, probably similar to Brown Kiwi.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2024. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2024. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v 14.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.14.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Great Spotted Kiwi. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Great_Spotted_Kiwi
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
