LITTLE SPOTTED KIWI (APTERYX-OWENII) - RECRUITMENT AND BEHAVIOR OF JUVENILES ON KAPITI ISLAND, NEW-ZEALAND

Little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii) were located in their shelter bur rows on Kapiti Island, off the south-west coast of the lower North Isl and, with the help of a trained dog. In total, 106 captures were made of 87 kiwi, 48 of which were adults, 36 juveniles (less than three yea rs old) and three thought to be juvenile but overlapping in size with adults. Juveniles occupied home ranges between territories established by adult pairs, but sometimes dispersed over large distances. One juv enile moved one kilometre in one night. The sex ratio of captured adul ts did not deviate significantly from a 1:1 ratio. Adult mortality app ears to be low: nine out of 10 banded birds were found in a study area nine to ten years later. Recruitment seems to be adequate, because ju veniles quickly occupy territories when the original residents are rem oved and there are very few territories with only single adults. I con clude that the population of little spotted kiwi on Kapiti Island is s elf-sustaining. This conclusion is contrasted with that given in an ea rlier study by J. N. Jolly, and the differences are discussed.