Rotorua kiwi breeders have been celebrating a special Christmas present this year -- their 1500th Kiwi chick.

The Kiwi Experience at Rotorua's Rainbow Springs Nature Park said the new kiwi hasn't been named yet, nor is its gender apparent.

It tipped the scales at 305.5g when it hatched just after 11pm last night.

Kiwi 1500 is already using its bill to poke about and cuddling up inside its incubator.

The park has been around since 1932 and involved in kiwi conservation since 199