Alternative name: Tokoeka
- Apteryx australis
Identification
Length: 50 cm (20 in)
- Long-billed
- Short-legged
- Tailless
- Wingless
- Dark greyish-brown
- Streaked with reddish-brown and black
- Greyer on head
- Bill whitish to pinkish
- Legs pale brownish
Distribution
New Zealand and Stewart Islands.
Taxonomy
Formerly considered conspecific with North Island Brown Kiwi and Okarito Brown Kiwi.
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- A. a. australis: the dullest and greyest race
- Southwest South Island (New Zealand)
- A. a. lawryi: has more reddish plumage on the back
- Stewart Island (New Zealand)
Habitat
Originally found in native forest, now in scrub, farmland and other modified woodlands. Mainly nocturnal and the most reliable way to see this species is a night trip to Ocean Beach on Stewart Island where birds can be seen feeding along the tideline. However, reportedly diurnal around Island Hill on the Northwest Circuit hiking trail of Stewart Island.
Behaviour
Breeding
Nests in a hole in tree-roots, dense vegetation, or hollow log, sometimes an excavated burrow. Eggs: usually 1 egg, ivory-white to pale greenish, laid in July-February. Incubated by male for 75-80 days.
Diet
Worms and insect larvae, fallen fruit.
Vocalisation
Male has a shrill whistled ki-wi and female a hoarse cry.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Folch, A., F. Jutglar, and E. F. J. Garcia (2020). Southern Brown Kiwi (Apteryx australis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.sobkiw1.01
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Southern Brown Kiwi. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Southern_Brown_Kiwi
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
