The Cellar Image of the Day

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Stubborn, grumpy Piwi
Wildlife vet Dr Lisa Argilla said Piwi didn't take to the treadmill naturally, and would be grumpy when woken for his workout three times a week.
"He was particularly stubborn in true kiwi form, and just sat there [as if saying] I'm not going to do this.
"He'd bite carer's hands when he got fed up with walking. But he's quite a tolerant little guy," she said.
Piwi endured 10 minutes on the treadmill every few days to strengthen his legs, as well as having physiotherapy with regular massage.

Only a New Zealander would test the plane-on-a-treadmill question using a flightless bird.

I've never seen a Kiwi close up before (the bird, not someone from NZ).
I didn't expect all the cute little whiskers!

The personality sounds pretty much like my ex-colleague though.

That kiwi looks sorta curmudgeonly.

the Curmungeonly Kiwi would be a good name for a children's book.

I love kiwis! My Nan went to NZ when i was little and she brought me back a bunch of kiwi related gifts; including a little silver kiwi pendant. I loved the shape of them. So cute!

She also had loads of photos of wildlife, including kiwis. Too cute for words.

The reason for his curmudgeonly attitude is that he is sick of being compared to fuzzy fruit and fuzzier humans.

why did he have to strengthen his legs? couldn't they just let him, I dunno . . . walk around?

[i]f you click on the link you'll read his long sad story of a broken leg that had to be rebroken, his release, another broken leg and transfusion.

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More like a mammal than a bird .....

The kiwi is one of the world's oddest endangered birds. In fact, one may ask whether it really is a bird.

It is the closest thing to a mammal in the bird world. The kiwi's blood temperature is nearly the same as a mammal, about 2°C lower than other birds. And it has bone marrow, instead of air as in the bones of a bird.

Both ovaries are functional in a kiwi, it has large ear openings, long whiskers, and plumage more like hair than feathers - all physical characteristics of most mammals. Birds have two ovaries but only one that functions, small concealed ears, and no whiskers. With strong stout legs and claws that are 30 percent of its' body weight, the kiwi is a powerful runner, fighter and swimmer.

The kiwi is the only bird in the world with nostrils at the end of its bill. Birds typically do not have a good sense of smell, but the kiwi's is very well developed. The olfactory bulb in the brain which controls smelling senses, is larger in kiwi than in other birds, and is structured more closely to that of a mammal.

Of course they are endangered. They have been hunted down for decades for their shoe shine glands.

I'm surprised the species isn't extinct:

*Can't burrow a protective underground home

*Can't outrun much of anything that wants to eat it.
(Cellar members excluded)

*Can't fly.

*Can't swim fast, if at all.

*Can't climb trees to get away from predators.

*Nice claws, but most predators can still clean it's clock.

Flightless birds are a risky proposition. Emu, and Ostrich are the only ones I know of that live on land, and have been successful. (Roadrunners can fly a bit - and do nest above ground)

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Originally Posted by Adak

I'm surprised the species isn't extinct:

*Can't burrow a protective underground home

*Can't outrun much of anything that wants to eat it.
(Cellar members excluded)

Until humans turned up, there were no mammals (except a few bats) in New Zealand. No rats, cats, foxes, dogs, human hunters etc etc. There were many ground-dwelling birds that are now in great danger.

As well as the Giant Moa, there seems to have been some kind of enormous Eagle - wing-span 3-4 metres (10-13 feet). Maori legends told of great birds that could carry off human children, and while these were usually dismissed, recent fossil finds suggest such a bird existed.

Kiwis fight other kiwis, too. Put two male kiwis in a box and in a few hours you'll have a dead kiwi.

A roadrunner top speed is about 18 mph. (I have chased many of them on foot, in my youth). When pressed by a predator, they can fly, as well.

Kiwi tops at an estimated 13 mph, and can't fly at all.

They defend against other Kiwi birds - not bobcats, foxes, dingos, coyotes, lynxes, ocelots, wolves, eagles, etc., who would easily take them.

If they were as prolific, and could fly just enough to get high enough to escape ground predators pursuing them, like a chicken can, I'd say "they'll do fine".

That is not the case, however. It will be a big struggle for them to stay alive, in the wild as new predators move into their habitat. imo

BTW, are New Zealanders offended by being called Kiwis? Or are they cool widdit?

New Zealanders I've known have called themselves Kiwis.
Note - if you are unsure of whether someone is Australian or Kiwi, get them to say "Ten pens". A Kiwi will say "Tin pins".

Of course many Merkins can't tell the difference between English, South African and Antipodean, so this might be a moot point

When I was a teen working at my hometown bakery, one of my cow orkers was a New Zealander who said 'ducky' a lot. Is that particular to the county or just an all around British term?

In Leicester, the favourite term of endearment was "me duck". As in, "Y'all right there me duck?" It was only really used by auld wifies, but had apparently been widespread before strange colours and shapes came in via the television.

Ducky? As far as my experience goes it's just an old-fashioned (out-dated) way of calling someone homosexual.

Duckies seem to be serious subjects in some places...

WallStreetJournal
The Sober Science of Migrating Rubber Duckies

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Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

In Leicester, the favourite term of endearment was "me duck". As in, "Y'all right there me duck?" It was only really used by auld wifies, but had apparently been widespread before strange colours and shapes came in via the television.

Ducky? As far as my experience goes it's just an old-fashioned (out-dated) way of calling someone homosexual.

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Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

I was pretty sure I posted the YouTube link in, but I can't see it, so here it is again just in case (one day I'll get the hang of actually getting the photo or the clip to show up in the post).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buoztHLk9JQ

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Originally Posted by Pico and ME

When I was a teen working at my hometown bakery, one of my cow orkers was a New Zealander who said 'ducky' a lot. Is that particular to the county or just an all around British term?