The kiwi, a small, flightless bird native to New Zealand, may seem like an unlikely candidate for having a giant cousin. However, recent scientific discoveries have revealed a surprising link between the kiwi and the extinct elephant bird of Madagascar.

The Kiwi’s Giant Cousin

DNA analysis has shown that the elephant bird, a massive flightless bird that once roamed Madagascar, is the closest living relative of the kiwi. This finding challenges previous theories about the evolutionary history of ratites, a group of flightless birds that includes ostriches, emus, rheas, and kiwis.

How Did They Discover This Link?

Scientists extracted DNA from the bones of two elephant bird species and compared it to the DNA of other ratites. They found a strong genetic similarity between the elephant bird and the kiwi, despite their significant differences in size and appearance.

Implications for Ratite Evolution

This discovery suggests that the ancestors of ratites were able to fly and dispersed across the southern continents before the continents separated. This contradicts the previous theory that ratites were already flightless when they became isolated on different landmasses.Ancient DNA has revealed an unusual pair of closest relatives: New Zealand’s flightless, roughly chicken-sized kiwi species (skeleton of adult Apteryx australis shown) and Madacascar’s huge elephant bird (egg of Aepyornis maximus shown).KYLE DAVIS AND PAUL SCOFIELD / CANTERBURY MUSEUM

The Future of Ratite Research

This groundbreaking research opens up new avenues for exploring the evolutionary history of ratites. By studying the genetic relationships between different ratite species, scientists can gain a better understanding of how these unique birds evolved and adapted to their diverse environments.

The discovery of the kiwi’s giant cousin, the elephant bird, is a fascinating example of how DNA analysis can reveal unexpected relationships between different species. This finding challenges our understanding of ratite evolution and highlights the importance of continued research in this field.