New Zealand's Kiwis
By: Kirsten Knauf
What do you think of when you hear the word “kiwi”? Did you think of the kiwifruit? 
It's about the size of a large hen's egg and has a brownish skin with little hairs. If you cut it in half you can see the green flesh with a white center and tiny black seeds. The kiwi is actually a big berry.
Have you ever tasted one? It's a little bit sour because it contains a lot of Vitamin C, but it's very healthy. The kiwifruit grows in New Zealand and also in the United States.
Another kind of kiwi is brown on the outside, but has feathers on its skin. “Kiwi” is also the name of a bird that can only be found in New Zealand.
Have you ever seen pictures of one?
This kiwi is about the size of a large chicken. Kiwis have wings, but can't fly because they are too heavy. Kiwis are nocturnal animals, meaning they sleep during the day and wander about at night looking for food.
They have long, thin beaks and their nostrils are at the end of their beaks. Can you imagine why? So they can smell their food when they dig their nose into the ground! They like eating seeds, worms, insects, and fruit.
Finally, there is another Kiwi with two legs, but is not a bird: “Kiwis” are also what the New Zealanders call themselves. Instead of saying, “I'm an American,” they say “I'm a Kiwi.”
Many more Kiwis living in New Zealand speak English just like you.
Illustration Copyright © 2010 Clipart Creations
Copyright © 2010 by Kirsten Knauf