The age old question for travellers visiting New Zealand. How to see a kiwi bird in New Zealand
With an estimated 70,000 birds over 5 species, Kiwi are far from our rarest bird. However their nocturnal nature and nervous temperament often makes them very difficult to find, even in reserves. In fact it is said that over 90% of New Zealand people (or kiwis) havent seen our namesake, the kiwi bird in the wild! We want to help you find a kiwi bird, either in captivity or in the wild depending how much time you have while in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Kiwi In Captivity
There are a fantastic number of places where you are almost guaranteed to see a kiwi bird. These indoor enclosures reverse night and day so the nocturnal kiwi are active during your visit. Often they have young birds they are raising ready to be released in the wild.
When you are deciding where to visit, consider what other species they have on display and what they are doing for the animals. It can be nice to visit places like Kiwi Bird Life Park who do a lot of injured bird rehabilitation, or Orana Wildlife Park raising chicks to be released in the wild.
I like to think of the entry fee as a donation to conservation.
North Island
- Auckland: Otorohunga Kiwi House
- Wellington: Wellington Zoo
- Rotorua: The National Kiwi Hatchery
South Island
- Hokitika: The National Kiwi Centre
- Christchurch: Orana Wildlife Park
- Franz Joseph: West Coast Wildlife Centre
- Queenstown: Kiwi Bird Life Park
See Kiwi at Night in a Reserve
Seeing a kiwi bird out in the wild gets trickier. There are predator fenced reserves and island reserves around New Zealand that offer an exciting opportunity to see kiwi in their natural habitat. In a way that is natural and definitely far from guaranteed. Some of these reserves offer night tours including Zealandia in Wellington. While some let you explore the park at your own leisure such as Rotokare near New Plymouth.
- New Plymouth: Rotokare Scenic Reserve
- Wellington: Zealandia
- Wellington: Kapiti Island
- Wellington: Pukaha
- Hamilton: Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
- Auckland: Rotoroa Island
If this isn’t wild enough for you, perhaps one of these options…
See kiwi from your accomodation
For the laziest kiwi spotters, renting a house in the Coromandel Peninsular could be a really easy way to see these iconic birds. Kiwi numbers in this area are increasing and more and more people are reporting seeing them run across the grass outside their accomodation in this area! The probability is still very low, but the effort required is also very low.
More Upmarket, and with a greater possibility of seeing kiwi, is the Hananui Pure Pod on Stewart Island. This pod is a contained in a predator proof fence with large glass windows, giving you a fantastic possibility to see kiwi without even getting out of bed!
Hike and see kiwi
There are 2 ‘Great Walks’ in New Zealand that boast regular kiwi sightings. The Heaphy Track and The Rakiura Track. As well as experiencing other fantastic New Zealand wildlife like carnivorous snails you have the opportunity to see kiwi on these tracks. The Rakiura Track is on Stewart Island, where one third of all the kiwi birds live. I have seen them wandering through the town, but getting out on the trails greatly improves your chances. If you do the tracks, I much prefer to camp as opposed to staying in the huts, then I can hear the birds if they are near (or others excitement) and go out to see them. Take the time in the evening to sit outside go for a walk and you have a great opportunity to see a kiwi first hand.
See The Smallest Kiwi
On the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand there is a little place called Okarito. There is not much in Okarito, except a community run camping ground, the occasional white heron/kotuku and the Rowi Kiwi. Rowi are New Zealand’s smallest kiwi species and there are about 600 of them in the wild thanks to conservation work. Staying in Okarito and walking the local tracks is a great way to see a kiwi in the wild. Just be careful if you are driving around there at night, please drive very slowly, I have seen kiwi on the road many times here and it is too easy to have an accident and your vehicle headlights will damage their eyes. If you really want to increase your chances, Ian from Okarito Kiwi Tours takes nightly tours and uses the GPS transponders fitted to kiwi to locate wild birds.
Camp on a Volcano
If you have a self contained motorhome, there is a free camping spot on Mount Taranaki. Located at the Department of Conservation Visitor Centre. Near this area, an abundance of kiwi have been released thanks to the conservation efforts of near by reserves. Camping and maybe a quiet walk around this area offers a moderately good chance of seeing a kiwi. If you are unsuccessful, you are not to far from Rotokare Scenic Reserve for your next attempt.
Kiwi Spotting Tips
- Use a red torch
- Never use flash photography or white light near kiwi
- Listen to their calls before you go
- Be quiet and patient
- Camp don’t use huts
- Dress warm
- Learn the difference between Kiwi and Weka
- Ask locals and others for pointers
- Dont be disappointed, enjoy the stars and where you are
- Be safe
Have you seen kiwi or got other recommendations? Let us know in the comments
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