Fiordland & Southland - New Zealand - page 1197

SPOTTING A KIWI: A BRUSH WITH THE GODS

Stewart Island/Rakiura is one of the few places on earth where you can spot a kiwi
in the wild. Considered the king of the forest by Maori, the bird has been around for
70 million years and is related to the now-extinct moa. Brown feathers camouflage
the kiwi against its bush surroundings and a nocturnal lifestyle means spying a kiwi
in the wild is a challenge. This is compounded by Stewart Island/Rakiura's fickle
weather, with tours sometimes cancelled - allow a few nights on the island if you're
desperate for a sighting.
As big as a barnyard chicken and estimated to number around 20,000 birds, the
Stewart Island/Rakiura brown kiwi ( Apteryx australis lawryi,also known as the
tokoeka) is larger in size, longer in the beak and thicker in the legs than its northern
cousins. They are also the only kiwi active during daylight hours, and birds may be
seen around sunrise and sunset foraging for food in grassed areas and on beaches
where they mine sandhoppers under washed-up kelp. If you spot one, keep silent,
and stay still and well away. The birds' poor eyesight and single-mindedness in
searching for food will often lead them to bump right into you.

Sleeping
Finding accommodation can be difficult, especially in the low season when many places
shut down. Booking ahead is highly recommended. The island has many holiday homes,
which are often good value and offer the benefit of self-catering, which is especially
handy if you do a spot of fishing (although many impose a two-night minimum stay or
charge a surcharge for one night). Invercargill i-SITE and the Stewart Island Experience
Red Shed can help you book such rentals. See also www.stewartisland.co.nz .

Jo & Andy's B&B B&B $
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( 03-219 1230; [e-mail]; cnr Morris St & Main Rd; s $60, d & tw $90; ) A
great option for budget travellers, this cosy blue home squeezes in twin, double and single
rooms. A big breakfast of muesli, fruit and homemade bread prepares you for the most
active of days. Jo and Andy are splendid company and there's hundreds of books if the
weather packs up.

Bunkers Backpackers HOSTEL $
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