Hatching a Conservation Plan for the Brown Kiwi

Today, successful management of endangered wild populations requires understanding the basic reproductive biology of these birds, including parental and chick behaviors, and the relationships between habitat quality, chick survival, and dispersal strategies. 

In preparation for a field study to begin this year, researchers in the Reproductive Physiology Division determined the growth rate of kiwi ovarian oocytes using ultrasound, developed new genetic tools for parentage and population analysis, and developed methods for measuring reproductive hormone levels in fecal samples from kiwi at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. In collaboration with researchers from New Zealand’s Massey University, we will use these techniques to investigate reproductive processes in free-ranging kiwi. Additionally, behavioral observations and radio tracking will provide us with critical knowledge that will promote improved management of kiwi populations in zoos and in the wild.

This project will positively influence current wild kiwi conservation and management efforts through a better understanding of reproductive physiology, pair dynamics and behavior, territory quality, and interspecies competition. The comparison of basic physiology of wild kiwi with that of captive kiwi may suggest changes in captive breeding management to increase chick production. A thorough knowledge of pair dynamics such as extra-pair copulations, frequency of partner changes, territory dynamics and parental-chick interactions will also be invaluable to the San Diego Zoo’s captive kiwi management plan.