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Kiwi are flightless, nocturnal birds endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. Five species of this precious bird exist, and all are classified as threatened or at risk. The 2019 Kiwi Coin continues to celebrate the kiwi as a national icon and distinctive representative of New Zealand’s unique wildlife. The North Island brown kiwi is the star of this year's issue.
The brown kiwi Apteryx mantelli is the species New Zealanders are most familiar with. The kiwi we see most frequently in captivity, it also lives closest to human habitation. This proximity has created its own risk to the birds, but it has also been of great advantage to the recovery of the species, with community initiatives in place to restore kiwi populations.
Without ongoing support, experts estimate brown kiwi will be extinct in the wild within two generations. The Department of Conservation continues to do work to support kiwi in the wild, including kiwi aversion training for dogs, discussions with community groups and landowners, sessions with schools, media coverage and arranging field trips for people to meet brown kiwi.