What is a Kiwi?
A kiwi is not to be confused with a kiwi - a flightless bird native to only New Zealand. This bird is unusual. It is the only bird in the world that has its nostrels at the end of its beak. The female bird lays the largest egg in proportion to its body size. Their eggs are almost as large as those of ostriches, yet they are the same size as chickens. These birds are an endangered and protected species. Should you be so stupid as to kill one, you can find yourself served with a very hefty fine.
Now, the kiwifruit originally called a 'chinese gooseberry" is an oval-shaped brown furry fruit with green flesh. In the 1960s, New Zealand kiwifruit farmers marketed the fruit overseas and decided to call them kiwifruit.
New Zealanders like to call themselves "Kiwis". However, they are very irritated when they are referred to as a fruit.
My Favorite Web Sites
Kiwi Web
Endangered Species
Kiwi Fruit Facts
Kiwi
