The Kiwi bird

First and foremost, the Kiwi, our namesake. The kiwi is a unique and curious bird: it cannot fly, has loose, hair-like feathers, strong legs, and no tail. Learn more about the kiwi, the national icon of New Zealand, and the unofficial national emblem. This little guy has been around for about 70 million years and is one of our national treasures. This is one of the things about New Zealand you should know.

This flightless little bird, about the size of a domestic chicken, can lay eggs that are up to 20% of its body weight, making it one of the largest in terms of size to body weight. If you're lucky, you'll see the Okarito Kiwi in a limited area on the West Coast. Kiwi birds, on the other hand, are nocturnal species with poor eyesight, thus seeing them is unusual! They smell out any type of food with their very sensitive nose (their nostrils are situated at the end of their lengthy beaks!). Unfortunately, only 68,000 are left in the wild, and many sanctuaries are committed to helping their numbers grow.