The Kiwi Family

For much of the 20th century, kiwi taxonomists classified kiwi according to their anatomy. Until the 1980s, kiwi were separated into just three species: the great spotted kiwi, the little spotted kiwi and the brown kiwi. It was also thought brown kiwi had three varieties: North Island brown, South Island brown and Stewart Island brown.

Delving into kiwi DNA

Genetic research in the 1980s changed this. It allowed kiwi DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) to be studied.

DNA contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. By comparing kiwi DNA, geneticists have been able to infer their evolutionary history.

The genetic research confirmed the great spotted and little spotted kiwi as separate species, but it led to brown kiwi being split up into three distinct species – brown kiwi, rowi and tokoeka. That means today, five kiwi species are formally recognised.

Further genetic research may identify more species and/or subspecies, especially within tokoeka.

The five species

The five formally described kiwi species are:

little spotted kiwi (A. owenii) on several offshore islands and at Karori Sanctuary in Wellington
great spotted kiwi/roroa (A. haastii) in the northern South Island
brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) in the North Island
rowi (A. rowi) at Okarito, on the West Coast of the South Island
tokoeka (A. australis) in the South Island (Fiordland, the Haast Range and on Stewart and Kapiti Islands).

Where kiwi are distributed within New Zealand

Different varieties add to the complexity

Two of the five kiwi species have different varieties within them - brown kiwi and tokoeka:

Within brown kiwi, four geographically and genetically distinct forms have been distinguished: Northland, Coromandel, western and eastern.
Tokoeka also have four distinct geographical forms: Haast, northern Fiordland, southern Fiordland, and Stewart Island.

Therefore, kiwi researchers often use the general term 'taxa' (singular: taxon) to refer to the 11 different kiwi which are either species or distinct geographical varieties within a species.

Unlike brown kiwi and tokoeka, the little spotted kiwi, great spotted kiwi and rowi species show no clear geographical genetic variations. Little spotted kiwi did use to have a distinct North Island form, but it went extinct in the late 1800s.

Kiwi Tales

Sniff shares his life and adventures through animated stories.

Workshops

The kiwi workers network lets us share what we know, and learn from other people.

The Business Community

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Did You Know?

Kiwi can get all the water they need from their food – earthworms are 85% water – allowing them to live in dry places. Being nocturnal also helps – they don’t get hot, bothered and dried out by the sun.