What other birds are kiwi birds related to?

Kiwi are ratites. The ratites are a group of Flightless Birds that originated in Gondwana, a prehistoric continent from which Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, South America, Antarctica, Africa and New Guinea split off.

The ratites include:

* emu from Australia * cassowary from New Guinea * ostrich from Africa * rhea from South America * kiwi from New Zealand

* moa (extinct) from New Zealand * Elephant bird (extinct) of Madagascar According to DNA research kiwi are most closely related to emu and cassowaries.