noun
- Plural of apteryx; flightless birds native to New Zealand, characterized by small vestigial wings, long beaks, and brown plumage.
Usage: Also commonly called kiwis or kiwi birds.; Apteryx is the scientific genus name.
Examples
- Apteryxes are among the most unusual birds in the world.
- The conservation program focuses on protecting apteryxes in their native New Zealand habitat.
- Unlike most birds, apteryxes have nostrils at the tip of their long beaks.
- Several species of apteryxes are endangered due to habitat loss.
- Ornithologists study apteryxes to understand how flightless birds evolved.