Apteryx owenii

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	STRUTHIONIFORMES	APTERYGIDAE

Scientific Name:

Apteryx owenii

Species Authority:

Gould, 1847

Common Name/s:

English

–

Little Spotted Kiwi

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Mahood, S., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Robertson, H.

Justification:
This species has been downlisted to Near Threatened owing to the success of intensive conservation intervention which has established populations on five islands and one mainland site, in which numbers continue to increase or remain stable. Given the wide geographic spread of these populations the species is under no immediate threat, but populations, and the predator free status of the islands on which they live, still require monitoring.

History:

2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Apteryx owenii occurred in forested areas throughout New Zealand prior to European settlement, but is now restricted to five offshore islands to which it has been introduced, and one mainland site where it has been reintroduced⁷. The stronghold is Kapiti Island (20 km²), where birds are believed to have been introduced in the early 1900s. In the 1980s, birds were released on Red Mercury (2 km²), Hen (5 km²) and Long Islands (2 km²), and to Tiritiri Matangi Island (2 km²) in 1993 and 1995¹. The population is estimated at 1,150 individuals (2000)⁸, with c.1,000 on Kapiti, 50 on Hen, 15 on Tiritiri Matangi, 30 on Red Mercury, 10 on Long Island, a number at Karori Sanctuary (Wellington) and 10 in captivity². The populations on the smaller islands are expected to grow further⁶. On Kapiti, the proportion of juveniles in the population appears to be very high⁵ and annual survivorship is estimated at 97.5%⁸; numbers may have reached carrying capacity⁶.
Countries:	Native: New Zealand
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Hobertson and Colbourne (2004)
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is present in all available habitats on Kapiti, including mature broadleaf forest, regenerating forest and grassland⁴. It eats invertebrates, but also fallen fruits and leaves². It lays just one egg, usually in a burrow. Chicks hatch fully-feathered, and first leave the nest unaccompanied after about a week. It normally begins to breed at around three years of age⁷. Mean life expectancy is estimated at 45 (27-83) years⁸.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It is present in all available habitats on Kapiti, including mature broadleaf forest, regenerating forest and grassland⁴. It eats invertebrates, but also fallen fruits and leaves². It lays just one egg, usually in a burrow. Chicks hatch fully-feathered, and first leave the nest unaccompanied after about a week. It normally begins to breed at around three years of age⁷. Mean life expectancy is estimated at 45 (27-83) years⁸.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Introduced predators are absent from all the islands except Weka Gallirallus australis, which was introduced to Kapiti prior to A. owenii. There are conflicting reports as to the extent and effect of predation^3,4, although the A. owenii population appears very healthy⁷. The island populations remain susceptible to accidental or deliberate introduction of mammalian predators.

Major Threat(s):

Introduced predators are absent from all the islands except Weka Gallirallus australis, which was introduced to Kapiti prior to A. owenii. There are conflicting reports as to the extent and effect of predation^3,4, although the A. owenii population appears very healthy⁷. The island populations remain susceptible to accidental or deliberate introduction of mammalian predators.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway Translocations to predator-free offshore islands have done much to secure the survival of A. owenii. More islands have been examined for further introductions, but given the health of the present island populations, and their geographical spread, only one more island introduction is planned, in Fiordland^7,9. The genetic diversity of the species is being assesed to determine if they are severely bottlenecked and whether it might be possible to increase their genetic diversity by introducing new blood lines from Long Island, since currently all reintroduction birds are sourced from Kapiti Island (which may have had only five founders)⁹. A small captive-breeding population is held, primarily for public education purposes^2,6. All populations are monitored using call-counts, and specially-trained dogs are used to track banded birds⁷. Conservation Actions Proposed Continue regular monitoring of all island populations. Enforce measures to prevent the introduction of non-native mammals to occupied islands.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
Translocations to predator-free offshore islands have done much to secure the survival of A. owenii. More islands have been examined for further introductions, but given the health of the present island populations, and their geographical spread, only one more island introduction is planned, in Fiordland^7,9. The genetic diversity of the species is being assesed to determine if they are severely bottlenecked and whether it might be possible to increase their genetic diversity by introducing new blood lines from Long Island, since currently all reintroduction birds are sourced from Kapiti Island (which may have had only five founders)⁹. A small captive-breeding population is held, primarily for public education purposes^2,6. All populations are monitored using call-counts, and specially-trained dogs are used to track banded birds⁷.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Continue regular monitoring of all island populations. Enforce measures to prevent the introduction of non-native mammals to occupied islands.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Apteryx owenii. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012.
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