Kiwi Calls

Deciphering sounds in the night forest. Click on the icons above to hear the distinctive calls of a range of kiwi.

One of the simplest ways to locate kiwi is to listen.

Kiwi call at night to mark their territory and stay in touch with their mate. The best time to listen is on a moonless night, up to two hours after dark, and just before dawn. That’s when kiwi stir from their burrows and call to make contact with their partner or family, and to mark their territory.

What to Listen For

The call of the male kiwi is repetitive and shrill and has 8-25 notes.
The call of the female is a repetitive guttural sound of 10-20 notes.

Telling the difference

Kiwi calls can easily be confused with other nocturnal animals. Some of the more common mistakes are made with weka, morepork/ruru and possums.

Kiwi call scheme

A kiwi call scheme run by the Department of Conservation collects information from people who can reliably identify kiwi calls and are prepared to carry out timed counts. Over the years, the scheme has provided a great baseline of information

Kiwi Screensaver

Get your very own Kiwi Screensaver featuring eight stunning photos of kiwi chicks. It's simple and easy to install. Check it out...

Dogs and Cats

Dogs and cats are a significant problem for kiwi. Find out why, and what you can do.

NZ's Biodiversity

New Zealand is a biological Ark, with many special species. It began many millions of years ago…

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Did You Know?

In the late 19th century, kiwi became fashion victims, slaughtered in their thousands for muffs and hat trimmings.