The kiwi is a flightless bird native to New Zealand, about the size of a chicken, with hair-like feathers and a long, slender beak. Unlike most birds, kiwis have tiny, nearly useless wings hidden under their feathers, and they can't fly at all. They're mostly nocturnal creatures that use their excellent sense of smell to hunt for insects and worms on the forest floor at night, which is unusual since most birds rely on their vision instead.

Kiwis have become such an important symbol of New Zealand that New Zealanders often call themselves Kiwis as a nickname for their nationality. The bird appears on New Zealand coins and is used to represent the country around the world.

The word also refers to the fuzzy brown fruit with bright green flesh inside, named after the bird because of its similar brown, fuzzy appearance. The fruit originally came from China but became famous when New Zealand farmers started growing and exporting it in the 1900s. When you eat a kiwi fruit (or just kiwi), you're biting into something tangy and sweet that's packed with vitamin C.