When I hear the word Kiwi, I am reminded of an egg-shaped fruit which recently became very popular.

However, I found a bird with the same name in New Zealand. The shape of the bird is similar to that of the fruit only with a long bill and short legs. I, therefore, thought there must be some relationship between the two, and I was right.

Kiwi (the fruit) became associated with New Zealand but it originated in China. Since it matched well with the climate of New Zealand, Kiwi became an important produce for export. For exporting purposes, they chose the name of the bird that existed only in New Zealand as the name for this fruit. One reason was because the shape was similar but most of all the New Zealanders like this bird. They often give the name Kiwi to popular persons and products. They also call themselves “Kiwi-ites”.

Kiwi designs are often used in New Zealand. An interesting design on the back of a bus was found as shown in the photo. Each hole is punched in a Kiwi shape.

You can rarely see the actual bird as Kiwi can not fly and are nocturnal.