A chick from the 12 kiwi released in the Pukenui Western Hills is in the pink after hatching in an incubator at the Whangārei Bird Recovery Centre.
The bristly little bundle with the long pink beak broke out of its egg around 2am yesterday.
Pukenui Western Hills Forest Trust ranger Bevan Cramp had taken the egg taken from under a male kiwi called Waimarie two weeks ago.
Its removal to the bird centre's incubator followed concerns Waimarie needed a break after earlier sitting on one unviable egg.