Kiwi bird genome sequenced

Its unusual biological characteristics make the flightless kiwi a unique kind of bird. Researchers have now sequenced the genetic code of this endangered species and have identified several sequence changes that underlie the kiwi's adaptation to a nocturnal lifestyle: They found several genes involved in color vision to be inactivated and the diversity of odorant receptors to be higher than in other birds -- suggesting an increased reliance on their sense of smell rather than vision for foraging.

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