Before 1995 we talked about three species: the Great Spotted Kiwi, the Little Spotted Kiwi, and the Brown Kiwi – and we thought the Brown Kiwi was divided into three varieties: North Island Brown, South Island Brown, and Stewart Island Brown.

Then we thought there were four species of kiwi: the Great Spotted Kiwi, the Little Spotted Kiwi, the Brown Kiwi and the Tokoeka – and that the Brown Kiwi and Tokoeka each contained two varieties. 

Now we know that's wrong too - the kiwi species tally is five.

So What has Changed?

The Little Spotted and Great Spotted kiwi species are still the same.    But we are learning more about the Brown Kiwi all the time.  Today we know that the species formerly known as Brown Kiwi is actually three distinct species – Brown Kiwi, Rowi and Tokoeka.  And, in 2006, the number of varieties of Tokoeka rose from two to four.  We now recognise Haast Tokoeka, Northern Fiordland Tokoeka, Southern Fiordland Tokoeka and Stewart Island Tokoeka.  And you should keep watching this space, as more changes are likely as we continue to study kiwi DNA.

Brown Kiwi live in the North Island, while Rowi live at Okarito, on the West Coast of the South Island