Happy birthday to kiwi number 200

Rowi are the world's rarest kiwi; less than 450 remain in the wild. Photo / Supplied

Merry Christmas, kiwi No 200, and a happy birthday to you.

A sleigh-full of presents isn't the only special delivery to roll in this festive season, as the South Island's West Coast welcomes a rare kiwi.

West Coast Wildlife Centre owner Richard Benton announced late yesterday a rare rowi kiwi chick had hatched.

The as-yet-unnamed chick is the 200th to arrive since the Franz Josef-based centre, which is open to the public, began operating five years ago, Mr Benton said.

"The chick has a wonderfully festive white cluster of feathers under its chin, like a Santa beard."

Rowi are the world's rarest kiwi; less than 450 remain in the wild. The latest hatching is from the fourth egg this season from the nest of male kiwi Beebop, an unknown female and a female known as Baldy.

"This three-way breeding partnership has been in place now for quite some time."

The chick will stay in a brooder at the centre for about a month before being moved to an outdoor pen at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch. Once it has adapted to life outdoors and is foraging well for food, it will be moved to Motuara Island in the Marlborough Sounds.

The kiwi will eventually return to the Okarito kiwi sanctuary, Mr Benton said.