The Otorohanga Kiwi House was our last stop on our first Grayline Tour, this rather demure looking building had inside of it two kiwi houses. These houses housed four kiwi birds in two different buildings and four separate enclosures; they were all separate because they are apparently incredibly territorial.
We had just rocked up, and it was the first building kiwi’s feeding time, although they are nocturnal birds normally, their day cycle had been changed so they night had become our day. So we could see them (well just about) as there was a red light shining on the enclosures and you could see them only really if they moved around.
As the lady was climbing into the white spotted Kiwi’s enclosure, the very cute looking fluff ball started attacking her legs as she walked to the front, it was a vicious little bugger. Hehe, the food was a mixture of porridge, grains and ox heart, laugh but that little bugger chopped it down like it was the last meal he was going to get.
We then walked along a little to the brown Kiwi’s enclosure, and he was a shy little thing, as the lady put it’s food down he hid in the back as she existed, he then very cautiously made his way to the food, definitely not like his housemate at all.
We left and made our way through the rest of the park; they have lots of different enclosures with various New Zealand wildlife in and it was a lovely walking through the giant Avery.
The second kiwi house had two additional separated kiwi’s one brown and one white spotted; they weren’t being fed, but the two very knowledgeable staff members in there told us all about them. It was great to learn more about these unusual looking native New Zealand flightless birds, and this kiwi house is a great place to see them in the flesh and to find out more about them.
