Kea
Nestor notabilis
Meet the Kea
The Kea is a large, highly intelligent parrot native to the alpine regions of New Zealand's South Island. Renowned for its curiosity and problem-solving abilities, it is often observed interacting with and manipulating objects in its environment, sometimes to the dismay of locals due to its penchant for damaging cars and equipment. The Kea's olive-green plumage is accented by brilliant orange underwings, which are visible in flight. Social and vocal, Kea form complex social groups and are known for their playful behavior and adaptability to harsh mountain climates.
Wikipedia Data 🎥 6 Videos 📚 5 Sources Classification
Bird
Habitat
Mountain forests and alpine regions
Diet
Omnivore
Lifespan
14-20 years in the wild
Conservation
Endangered
Weight
800-1,100 grams
📖Fascinating Facts
Remarkable Intelligence
Kea have demonstrated the ability to solve complex puzzles, use tools, and even work together to achieve tasks, making them one of the most intelligent bird species.
Colorful Feathers
While the Kea appears mostly olive-green, its underwings are a striking orange-red, which is only visible during flight or when displaying.
Alpine Adaptation
Kea are uniquely adapted to cold, mountainous environments and can survive harsh alpine winters where few other parrot species can.
📋Detailed Description
The Kea (Nestor notabilis) is a robust, large parrot measuring approximately 46–50 cm (18–20 in) in length and weighing between 800–1,000 grams (1.8–2.2 lbs). Its plumage is predominantly olive-green with darker feather edges, giving a scalloped appearance, and it boasts striking orange-red underwing coverts visible during flight or displays. The upper beak is long, narrow, and strongly curved, adapted for prying and manipulating objects. Kea possess zygodactyl feet (two toes forward, two back), providing dexterity for climbing and handling food. Their eyes are dark brown, and juveniles can be distinguished by a yellow cere and eyelid ring, which fade with maturity. Kea are highly intelligent, demonstrating advanced problem-solving, tool use, and social learning abilities. They are known for their playful, inquisitive nature and complex vocalizations, which include a variety of whistles, squawks, and warbles. Social structure is fluid but often centers around loose flocks of up to 13 individuals, with frequent cooperative interactions. Kea are primarily diurnal, foraging during daylight hours across a range of habitats from lowland forests to alpine scree slopes, often above the tree line. Their omnivorous diet is highly varied, including plant material, invertebrates, and opportunistically, carrion. Kea are uniquely adapted to cold, high-altitude environments, with dense plumage and behavioral flexibility that allows them to exploit a wide range of food sources and microhabitats.
💡 Did you know?
The Kea is the only parrot in the world that lives in alpine environments.
🔬Research & Sources
Wikipedia Summary
The kea is a species of large parrot in the family Strigopidae that is endemic to the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About 48 cm (19 in) long, it is mostly olive-green, with brilliant orange under its wings, and has a large, narrow, curved, grey-brown upper beak. Its omnivorous diet consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar, and insects, but also includes carrion. It was once killed for bounty due to concern by sheep-farmers that it attacked livestock, especially sheep. The kea is now uncommon, and received absolute protection under the Wildlife Act in 1986.
Last Modified: 6/9/2025
🎭Behavior & Social Structure
Kea are renowned for their curiosity and manipulative behaviors, often investigating novel objects and dismantling human-made items such as backpacks, cars, and equipment. Foraging is opportunistic and innovative: they dig for roots and tubers, strip bark to access sap or insects, and use their beaks to lever up stones or probe crevices. Kea have been observed using tools, such as sticks, to access food. Social interactions are complex, involving play, allopreening, and vocal communication; play includes aerial acrobatics, object manipulation, and social games. Hierarchies exist, with dominant individuals gaining priority access to food. Kea are known to scavenge carrion, including sheep carcasses, and have been documented attacking live sheep, typically targeting fat-rich areas. Daily routines involve communal roosting at night and active foraging during the day, often covering large distances in search of food.
👶Reproduction & Life Cycle
Kea are seasonal breeders, with the breeding season typically spanning from July to January. They are monogamous, forming long-term pair bonds. Nests are constructed in natural cavities such as rock crevices, under tree roots, or in burrows, often well-concealed and lined with moss, leaves, and feathers. Females lay 2–5 eggs per clutch, with incubation lasting approximately 21–28 days, performed solely by the female while the male provides food. Chicks hatch altricial and are brooded by the female for the first 1–2 weeks. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge at around 10–13 weeks of age. Juvenile survival is variable and heavily influenced by predation and food availability.
🛡️Adaptations & Survival
Kea exhibit several unique adaptations for alpine life: their dense, insulating plumage protects against cold and wet conditions, while strong, curved beaks and zygodactyl feet facilitate climbing and foraging in rugged terrain. Their intelligence and behavioral flexibility allow them to exploit unpredictable food sources and solve novel problems. Kea have a high basal metabolic rate, supporting energetic activity in cold environments. Their social learning abilities enable rapid dissemination of new foraging techniques within flocks. The bright underwing coloration is thought to play a role in social signaling and mate attraction.
📚Research Sources
🎨Cultural Significance
The Kea holds a prominent place in New Zealand culture and folklore. Māori traditionally regarded the Kea as a mischievous mountain spirit, sometimes as a guardian, but also as a trickster. In European settler history, Kea were vilified for attacking sheep, leading to widespread culling. Today, the Kea is celebrated as a symbol of New Zealand’s unique wildlife and is featured in art, literature, and tourism campaigns. Its intelligence and playful behavior have made it a favorite among locals and visitors alike, though its penchant for mischief can be controversial.
🔬Recent Research & Discoveries
Recent research has focused on Kea cognition, revealing advanced problem-solving, tool use, and social learning comparable to corvids and great apes. Studies have documented contagious play behavior, where play spreads through a group, and evidence of cooperative problem-solving. Conservation research has highlighted the impact of lead poisoning from building materials and the effectiveness of nest protection measures. Ongoing genetic studies aim to clarify population structure and inform management. The Kea Conservation Trust and other organizations are actively involved in monitoring populations, public education, and developing non-lethal conflict mitigation strategies.
🎥Wildlife Videos
Keas – New Zealand’s Witty Daredevils | Free Documentary Nature
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Playtime for Young Kea Birds | Frozen Planet II | BBC Earth
For these young Kea birds, there is always time to play. This apparently carefree behaviour helps establish long-lasting ...
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🌍Habitat Information
The Kea typically inhabits Mountain forests and alpine regions environments. Keas have adapted to their environments with specialized features and behaviors.
Primary Habitat:
Mountain forests and alpine regions
More detailed habitat information will be available soon.
🛡️Conservation Status
The Kea is currently classified as Endangered. Conservation efforts are crucial for preserving this species for future generations.
Common Threats:
- 🏠Habitat loss and fragmentation
- 🌡️Climate change impacts
- 🎯Hunting and poaching
- 🏭Human-wildlife conflict
⚠️Threats & Conservation Challenges
The Kea population is threatened by a combination of factors: predation by introduced mammals (stoats, rats, possums, and cats) on eggs and chicks; historical persecution by humans, including a government bounty (1860s–1970s) that resulted in the killing of an estimated 150,000 birds; habitat loss and fragmentation; and poisoning from lead and pest control toxins. Current population estimates suggest fewer than 7,000 individuals remain, with ongoing declines in some areas. Conservation challenges include mitigating human-wildlife conflict, especially where Kea damage property or scavenge at rubbish dumps, and reducing exposure to toxins. Climate change may also impact alpine habitats, further threatening the species.
🔬Scientific Classification
Scientific Name
Nestor notabilis
Classification Hierarchy
🔍 About Taxonomic Classification
Taxonomic classification is a hierarchical system used by scientists to classify and organize living organisms based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships.
The system moves from broad categories (Kingdom) to increasingly specific ones, with each animal's scientific name typically consisting of its Genus and species.
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