Animal of the Day: Kiwi!

The Kiwi is the smallest of all ratitites. A ratitie is a large flightless bird. So the Kiwi is the smallest largest flightless bird.

Proportionally, the kiwi lays the largest egg of all birds. Unlike most birds, the Kiwi has bone marrow. Kiwis are the only birds with nostrils.

The Kiwi is New Zealand's national symbol.

It is unclear where the Kiwi got its name but it is thought to be either an imitation of the sound that Kiwis make, or derived from the name of a similar bird.

The Kiwi has such small wings that they are invisible beneath its feathers.

Kiwis are monogamous! Both ovaries are functional (this is unusual in most birds and in the platypus).