Scientists Find The Iconic Kiwi That Once Flew

Scientists Find The Iconic Kiwi That Once Flew

Australian scientists have now solved the 150 year old evolutionary mystery regarding whether the kiwi flew. A study was conducted by University of Adelaide scientists to confirm that the kiwi's closest relative is not the emu. Instead, this iconic New Zealand bird is most closely linked to the extinct Madagascan elephant bird. The Madagascan elephant bird was 2 to 3 metres tall and it weighed around 257 kgs.

The study also found that both the flightless birds once flew. Fossils of small kiwi ancestors suggest that these birds had the power of flight once upon a time, according to Dr. Trevor Worthy of Flinders University. Genetic results have backed this interpretation. The confirmation has been obtained that the kiwis could fly when they came to New Zealand. This also explains the small size of this bird.

By the time the kiwi had arrived in New Zealand, the large herbivores were the moa while the kiwi remained small and became insectivorous. These nocturnal birds were the subject of a study by the University of Adelaide's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) and this has solved the mystery regarding the origins of this bird. This flightless ratite bird similar to the emu and the ostricj is found across the southern continents.

This group contains the largest birds in the world including the extinct moa of New Zealand and the Madagascan elephant birds. These different species were thought to have formed as the flightless birds were isolated when the southern continents separated over 130 million years ago.

Ancient DNA extracted from the bones of 2 elephant birds by the Museum of New Zealand, of the Te Papa Tongarewa, have revealed a close genetic link with the kiwi. However, there are striking differences in the ecology, morphology and geography of the two bird species. Scientist Kieren Mitchell from ACAD has also discussed this result as one which was unexpected.

The researcher has explained that this is because New Zealand and Madagascar were only joined via the Antarctica and Australia distantly so the ratites must have dispersed across the globe by flight. These results are a correction from the previous research which had demonstrated the Australian emu and cassowary to be the closest living relatives of the kiwi.

The research team at ACAD were also able to use the elephant bird DNA to estimate the time when the ratite species had separated from each other. Evidence indicates that the flying ratite ancestors dispered around the world at the time following the extinction of the dinosaurs. This was before mammals dramatically increased in size and became the dominant group.

Researchers also estimated that the ratites exploited this chance to become large herbivores till mammals also increased in size about 50 million years ago. The only birds that could grow in size would be ones on islands devoid of mammals, namely the Dodo.

Evolution takes strange twists and turns. With changes in the environment, different species of birds and animals also develop differently. In the tussle between nature and nurture, there is unique role played by probability as well. For all we know, life on this earth could be like a game of cards...some are dealt a lucky hand while others are not. Either which ways, everything one gets comes at a price. After all, the Dodo is extinct now while the kiwi lives on.