Little spotted kiwi
| Little spotted kiwi | |
|---|---|
| Foraging at Zealandia EcoSanctuary, Wellington | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Infraclass: | Palaeognathae |
| Order: | Apterygiformes |
| Family: | Apterygidae |
| Genus: | Apteryx |
| Species: | A. owenii
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| Binomial name | |
| Apteryx owenii Gould, 1847
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| Subspecies | |
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| The distribution of little spotted kiwi.
Predator-free islands:
Mainland: | |
| Synonyms | |
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List
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The little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii), also known as little grey kiwi or kiwi pukupuku, is a small flightless bird in the kiwi family, Apterygidae. It is the smallest of the five kiwi species, at about 0.9 to 1.9 kg (2–4+1⁄4 lb), about the size of a bantam. It is endemic to New Zealand, and in pre-European times occurred in both main islands, but is now mainly restricted to a number of small offshore islands and mainland reserves protected by pest-exclusion fences.
The little spotted kiwi was on the brink of extinction when a conservation effort took place 100 years ago. Five individuals were translocated from the South Island to Kapiti Island. Today, the Kapiti Island population has grown, with around 1200 birds. They were considered extinct on the mainland, with no sightings since 1978, until their rediscovery in the wild in 2025.