Little spotted kiwi

The little spotted kiwi is a ratite and belongs to the Apterygiformes order, and the Apterygidae family. The genus name Apteryx means 'without wings' and the species is named owenii after Sir Richard Owen. Only the nominate subspecies A. o. owenii survives. The little spotted kiwi was first described in 1847 by John Gould from a specimen obtained by Frederick Strange and sent to England. The locality is not recorded but it probably came from Nelson or Marlborough. In 1873, Henry Potts published an account of its habitats, and about this time specimens were collected in South Westland and sent to England. These is a subspecies called Apteryx owenii iredalei, from the North Island, but its status as a subspecies is not universally accepted as valid. More commonly known as the North Island little spotted kiwi, it is an extinct subspecies of the little spotted kiwi that was native to the North Island, New Zealand. It was described by Gregory Mathews in 1935. Most subsequent authors do not recognise it or any other subspecies of Apteryx owenii. The North Island little spotted kiwi went extinct sometime in the late 19th century for unknown reasons; most likely from introduced invasive species such as stoats, feral cats, and other related species, or from human activity in the region. Two specimens were collected in the 1880s, being the only known remnants left. ==Description==

The little spotted kiwi has a length of and the weight of the male is and the female weighs , making it the smallest species of kiwi. They lack aftershafts and barbules. They have large vibrissae feathers around the gape. They lack a tail, but have a small pygostyle. ==Distribution and habitat==

Studies on Kapiti Island show that they prefer flax, seral, and older forest habitats. Lower numbers are found in rough grassland and scrub, indicating that either they prefer other habitats or they simply need a larger territory to support themselves in these areas. ==Behaviour==

Little spotted kiwis eat grubs and other small insects that are found underground, and occasionally eat berries. Earthworms, cockchafer beetle larvae, caterpillars, cranefly larvae, and spiders are their most common foods, with annelids making up the largest percentage of the bird's diet; ==Conservation==

At the time it was described (in the 1840s), the species was common on the western side of the South Island and in Marlborough. A regular trade in skins sprang up and large numbers were collected for European museums. Further, with the advance of European settlement, birds were killed by prospectors and others for food, and their attendant dogs and cats took their toll. The species was extinct on the North Island by 1938 when the last four South Island birds were moved from d'Urville Island to the population that had been established on Kapiti Island. it was suspected to be more numerous than generally assumed. Following the evaluation of its population size, this was found to be correct, and it was consequently downlisted to "near threatened" status in 2008 as, although not rare, its small range puts it at risk. The lack of predators, apart from weka, is important to its increasing numbers. It has an occupancy range of , and a population of 1,500 mature individuals was estimated in 2022. In July, two little spotted kiwi were rediscovered on the mainland (outside of a fenced sanctuary) for the first time since 1978, following a tip-off from a hunter. A female and male bird were found in the Adams Wilderness Area in the South Island's West Coast Region. == Citations ==