Southern Brown Kiwi
The Southern Brown Kiwi, Tokoeka, or Common kiwi, Apteryx australis, is a species of kiwi from New Zealand's South Island. Until 2000 it was considered conspecific with the North Island Brown Kiwi, and still is by some authorities.
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image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Ma_-_Apteryx_australis_2.jpg
Taxonomy
Apteryx australis is based on Greek and Latin. Apteryx means "A-" without "pterux" wings, and "australis" from "auster" the south wind, and "-alis" relating to. Hence Relating to the south wind is the meaning of Australis, not Australia. The Southern Brown Kiwi belongs to the Kiwi family and it is a ratite, and a member of the order Struthioniformes. Like all ratites, its sternum has no keel, it is flightless, and it has a distinctive palate.
The Southern Brown Kiwi is divided into two subspecies:
- A. a. australis, South Island Brown Kiwi, with a population of approximately 7,000 birds is found on the South Island of New Zealand. A disjunct population, called the Haast Brown Kiwi is rare (with only about 250 specimens left) and is characterised by its rufous plumage. The Haast Brown Kiwi is named for where it lives, Haast.
- A. a. lawryi, Stewart Island Brown Kiwi is relatively common (20,000 birds) throughout its range, with about 17 birds per square kilometre. Its feathers are streaked lengthwise with reddish-brown.
