Stewart Island Tokoeka - Apteryx australis lawryi.
Photo taken May 2010 on an extremely isolated sand dune on Stewart Island, just south of New Zealand's "Mainland" - South Island.
Feeding on sand hoppers during the day - so much for kiwi being nocturnal! On Stewart Island kiwis are active throughout the day, and it has been suggested that this is because, unlike their northern relatives, they require more energy to survive the colder weather. Raising eggs as a family, rather than just by the male as in the North Island Brown Kiwi, is also thought to allow more time for individuals to forage.
