Probably not find a man who would not love to travel.This is not surprising, because there are so many wonderful places that simply must be seen.And would you like to go to New Zealand?This island is famous not only a fantastically beautiful nature, but no less amazing wildlife.One of the most interesting representatives of the fauna of New Zealand - Kiwi bird.It lives only here kiwi.
Kiwi - Bird or beast?
And this question is not accidental.The fact is that in many ways this bird per bird entirely or similar.Well, firstly, it is the only representative of flightless birds.Yes there wings, he even keel no matter where those same wings could be attached.Feathers are more like long fur furry any beast.Near the long, narrow, slightly curved beak located mustache resembling a cat.With these antennae kiwi bird (photo presented in the article) is better oriented in space.In his short legs are four claw.Because of this unusual for a set of birds, ornithologists have nicknamed them "honorary mammals."These birds are nocturnal, so the vision they have very weak.But the sense of smell is second only to smell the condor.At first glance it may seem that the kiwi clumsy and unwieldy, but in fact these birds are very nimble and hardy.In one night, they go all the nesting site, which can be up to a hundred hectares.And Kiwi real partisans, they never settle in freshly dug hole.They are required to wait until around the house grow moss and other foliage.Living kiwi pair that create only a few seasons.The female bird is much more than males.Egg hatching samochki three weeks, and it weighs about 500 hatches, the male offspring, only occasionally going out in search of food, at this time it replaces the female.They feed the birds with insects, earthworms and fruit.
kiwi bird - the favorite of Aboriginal
The representative birds are so loved by locals that it is possible to even talk about the cult of kiwi.His image is everywhere: on the coins, on stamps and so on. D. And the image of kiwi is the unofficial emblem of the country.On road sections which pass through the territory of kiwi habitat, there are warning signs that drivers are more careful and not to harm the birds.The natives call themselves the children of kiwi.Indeed, currently the kiwi bird is surrounded by love and care.And now, the bird population has increased dramatically, but it was not always.According to scientists, about a thousand years ago, the population of these birds consisted of about 12 million. Individuals, and by 2004 had fallen to 70,000.There was a sharp decline in the number of individuals for a variety of reasons.The first - the meat of this bird, very tasty and tender;the second - the Europeans imported predators such as cats, dogs, weasels;third - deforestation, habitat of birds.Kiwi Bird is listed in the Red Book.And thanks to a government program for the protection of these birds kiwi population is kept under control.
Seeing
And if you get a chance, be sure to travel to New Zealand to enjoy the wonderful scenery and, of course, to see with their own eyes the miracle bird.
