Apterygidae+-+Joceville

The Great Spotted Kiwi!!

**Animal Family** :Apterygidae **Binomial Name** : Apteryx haastii

__**Family Characteristics:**__

The animal family Apterygidae contains only one genus of animals and five species of kiwi. Kiwi are species of flightless birds that have been affected by the destruction of their habitats by humans. The family contains the animal that is the national symbol of New Zealand. These birds have long pointed beaks with nostrils, very small wings that are hidden under their other feathers, and have bones that are not hollow like other birds but are instead filled with bone marrow like mammals.

__The five species found in the Apterygidae family are__: //Apteryx haastii// Great Spotted Kiwi //, Apteryx owenii// Little Spotted Kiwi //Apteryx rowi// Okarito Brown Kiwi//, Apteryx australis// Brown Kiwi, and //Apteryx mantelli// North Island BrownKiwi





__**Great Spotted Kiwi Information:**__

The Great Spotted Kiwi are found only on in New Zealand and are an endangered species. They are one of five species of kiwi that are on Earth today and have some traits that make them more like mammals than birds. //**The Scientific Classification of the Great Spotted Kiwi:**//
 * **Kingdom** - Animalia
 * **Phylum** - Chordata
 * **Class** - Aves
 * **Order** - Struthioniformes
 * **Family** - Apterygidae
 * **Genus**- Apteryx
 * **Species** - //Apteryx haasti//

**Movement**: Even though the Great Spotted Kiwi is classified with other birds, it is one of the few bird species that does not fly. They are very strong and can be bad tempered. This animal does not have hollow bones like other birds, but is capable of moving surprisingly fast on land.

**Metabolism**: Great Spotted Kiwi are omnivores, which means that they eat both meat and plants. They can been seen eating things like small insects, snails, spiders, earthworms, crayfish, fruit, and berries. The have long beaks with nostrils at the end that allow them to have a great sense of smell. Their long beaks are good for reaching into soil and under water to catch their prey. They also do all of their hunting at night to avoid competition for food.


 * Growth and Development**: Most kiwi growth to be about the same size as a regular chicken and are between 3 and 9 lbs. in weight.It usually takes a kiwi around six years to reach adult size.


 * Response and Adaptations**: In response to the tough environment they live in, Kiwi tend to live high up in the hills where it is tough for their predators to live. They have an excellent sense of smell which is rare for birds. This allows them to find food buried in the ground without seeing it. Kiwi have also adapted to their environment by becoming somewhat nocturnal. They come out mostly at night so it is harder for predators to find them. They are also larger than other bird species, and have brown feathers that help them blend into their environment.


 * Reproduction**: All kiwi species only lay one egg at a time during a breeding season. It takes 27-85 days for the egg to incubate before it is ready to hatch. The male is responsible for caring for the egg during this time. Kiwi eggs are much larger than chicken eggs, and the eggs contain more nourishment for the offspring before they hatch.


 * Males and Females**: In this species, females and males look the same, do not have different colors, but the females are larger than males.

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By: Ms. Joceville