white kiwi chick hatches. lovely little critter.

[dale]

http://tinyurl.com/449m5td

the site of the center where it hatched in NZ and more pictures:
http://www.mtbruce.org.nz/

excellent video: Manukura - the little white kiwi.

[valhalla]

It IS a cute little critter - love the beak!  I wonder why they are kept in the dark?  I also wonder why human hands are all over them with no fear?

[Kris G.]

Strange little creatures-those feet!

[dale]

It IS a cute little critter - love the beak!  I wonder why they are kept in the dark?  I also wonder why human hands are all over them with no fear?

I'm not a specialist at all, but I do know that they're nocturnal, flightless birds that live in the underbrush and are extremely endangered (I heard them screaming to each other in the middle of the night while I was on a trek on the south island).  NZ programs are breeding and releasing kiwi to try to get the pop. back up. Kiwi lay only one egg a year -- the hatchlings get virtually no protection or nurturing after birth from their parents, they're pretty much on their own (these evolved in the utter absence of any predators, notably mammals - the arrival of stoats and dogs and the like almost did them all in). The human breeders must pose no threat - they get the birds off to a strong start and release them.

The wikipedia article on kiwi is a nice intro. "The kiwi lays the biggest egg in proportion to its size of any bird in the world, so even though the kiwi is about the size of a domestic chicken, it is able to lay eggs that are about six times the size of a chicken's egg."

[valhalla]

The wikipedia article on kiwi is a nice intro. "The kiwi lays the biggest egg in proportion to its size of any bird in the world, so even though the kiwi is about the size of a domestic chicken, it is able to lay eggs that are about six times the size of a chicken's egg."

   OMG!   

[Donna]

The wikipedia article on kiwi is a nice intro. "The kiwi lays the biggest egg in proportion to its size of any bird in the world, so even though the kiwi is about the size of a domestic chicken, it is able to lay eggs that are about six times the size of a chicken's egg."

   OMG!   

Now THAT has to hurt!

[valhalla]

The wikipedia article on kiwi is a nice intro. "The kiwi lays the biggest egg in proportion to its size of any bird in the world, so even though the kiwi is about the size of a domestic chicken, it is able to lay eggs that are about six times the size of a chicken's egg."

   OMG!   

Now THAT has to hurt!

No surprise that they lay only one egg! 

[dale]

No surprise that they lay only one egg! 

for several reasons (see picture). No more would fit in.

[Donna]

No surprise that they lay only one egg! 

for several reasons (see picture). No more would fit in.

Holy *&^% That's just not right!

[chlosmom]

so this little one is on his own--know anything about parents? or is this
just brood and leave parenting

[dale]

so this little one is on his own--know anything about parents? or is this
just brood and leave parenting

I don't know all that much, but I was told in NZ that after the chick hatches (it is entirely incubated by the male), the male wanders off to forage and the chick just follows and learns by imitating. It's very minimal parenting. Making that one huge egg and hatching it utterly depletes the respective adult kiwis, so I guess their job's almost done at hatching. There's good info about these astounding creatures on the internet. They're very unusual birds.

[Donna]

The main breeding period is from late winter to summer. Nests may be in hollow logs, under tree roots, in natural holes or in burrows excavated mainly by the male. Most clutches contain one or two eggs. Eggs are smooth, and coloured ivory or greenish-white. Kiwi eggs are proportionately larger compared to the size of the adult female than the eggs of any other bird. An egg may reach one-quarter of its mother’s weight. After the first egg is laid, the male takes over incubation and nest maintenance. Incubation takes about eleven weeks but if the female returns to lay another egg, the male has to sit on the clutch for a much longer time. Leaving the nest only occasionally, the male’s weight can decrease by up to one third.

The young kiwi emerges wearing shaggy adult plumage. The young chick is not fed by the adult, but survives on a large reserve of yolk in its belly. Gaining strength, the chick remains in the nest for six to ten days. The young kiwi then leaves the burrow, and, accompanied by the male, begins to search for food. Kiwis have been known to live up to twenty years.

Kiwi web

[MAK]

OMG, ouch babe!!! 

[valhalla]

Fascinating!  As for Mama    I'd leave too after putting out that monster!   

[Donna]

Fascinating!  As for Mama    I'd leave too after putting out that monster!   

Eh, I stayed!!