In Rotorua the National Kiwi Hatchery is totally worth a visit. Kiwi are nocturnal so taking photos of live birds is forbidden. These taxidermied chicks in a display case with life-size egg have to do for photos.
Alexandra Wolfe I love the fact the egg is almost the same size as the bird laying it. OUCH!
Miraz Jordan @alexink The guide told us it has the second largest egg to body size ratio in the world (some kind of Tern beats it out). The guide also passed round 2 x 8 kg weights to hold. The ratio was like an adult human holding a 16 Kg weight! A female lays 4 to 6 eggs per year over 2 to 3 breeding events. They have 2 ovaries and lay one egg followed a week or two later by a second, then it's weeks till the next breeding because they have to recover.
Alexandra Wolfe Dear me, I would not like to be a Kiwi trying to pas those. Yikes! No wonder they have to recover.