Watch as this precious kiwi chick hatches! @aucklandzoo
Watch as this precious kiwi chick hatches!  @aucklandzoo
Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
We’ve got great news this #SaveKiwiMonth with the first chick at Auckland Zoo to hatch this breeding season!

We’re proud to be helping conserve kiwi in the wild through the Operation Nest Egg (ONE) programme with Department of Conservation, Kiwis for kiwi and other regional conservation partners. This egg from sire Taringama was collected by our friends at Thames Coast Kiwi Care and brings valuable Coromandel genetics to the kiwi breeding population.

Kiwi can take up to three days to hatch once they externally pip (create a hole in the outer shell), building up their strength and using their strong legs to push through. Being nocturnal birds, they usually hatch at night where our bird keepers aren’t there to see it, who get a pleasant surprise come morning. This chick however, decided to make quick work of his entry into the world and our keepers were able to film the result.

Our bird team will carefully monitor the growth of this chick and once it’s reached the right weight, it will be sent to a predator-free island and hopefully one day have chicks of its own.

We’re caring for three more ONE eggs at present, so we’ll keep you updated on their hatch-dates!
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Watch as this precious kiwi chick hatches!

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