These are the smallest species of kiwi growing up to 18 inches long and weighing only 2-4 pounds.

Their lengthy beaks allow them to have an excellent sense of smell. In fact, they are the only bird with nostrils at the end of their beak.

Regardless of sex, all little spotted kiwis are a pale mottled gray and white color, as well as lacking a tail or tail feathers.

Their long, pale legs end in large feet and claws used for digging and terrirorial fights.

Found only in New Zealand on small offshore islands. They prefer older forest habitats to rough grasslands and shrubs.

Little spotted kiwis are unable to fly to get insects or food off trees, they must rely on their keen sense of smell. They will silently roam above ground, shuffling the soil around with its beak until it smells small critters like grubs and worms underground. It’ll then use its large feet to dig them out and eat them.

When the little spotted kiwi is pregnant, the egg takes up 26% of its own body weight! This is the largest egg in comparison to its size compared to any other bird. To put this in perspective, that would be like a human giving birth to a 6-year-old. After the nest is made in a burrow, the male will incubate the egg for a little over two months. After the egg hatches, it will leave the nest after a month.

It is clear that the kiwi species is very unbirdlike. Some things that set them apart is that they live in borrows, have a lower body temperature, depend more on smell than vision, and many other traits. In fact, some call it an honorary mammal since it shares many more characteristics with them than birds.

Little spotted kiwis are also intelligent. Similar to crows, they have memories of tricks or people that treated them wrong for at least five years. For example, if a kiwi heard a fake recording, it may fall for it once but then will circle is suspiciously or challenge it then next time.