You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Kiwi diet
Kiwi are omnivores so they eat both plants and animals.
What kiwi eat
Kiwi live in a range of habitats. There is no one type of kiwi diet.
Most of their food is invertebrates. They really like native worms. Kiwi also eat berries, seeds and some leaves.
The kiwi’s diet is closely related to its breeding success – the birds need to build up large reserves to get through the breeding season.
Some unusual foods
Brown kiwi are known to eat bracket fungi and frogs. They are also known to catch and eat freshwater crayfish.
How kiwi quench their thirst
Kiwi can get all the water they need from their food – juicy earthworms are 85% water. This adaptation means they can live in dry places, such as Kāpiti Island.
Being nocturnal also helps – they don’t get hot and dried out by the sun.
When it does drink, a kiwi dips its beak, tips back its head and gurgles down the water.
- Try the kiwi diet quiz.
Kiwi sleep standing up. They tuck their head and shoulder under their tiny wing stump, or at least in that general area.