Kea (Nestor notabilis) lives in alpine forest and tundra across South Island, New Zealand. It feeds on insects and seeds. Its conservation status is Endangered.
Fascinating facts about the Kea
- A 48-cm (19-in) kea can weigh up to a kilogram, males average 956 g, females 779 g, making it as heavy as a small sack of flour. This bulk lets it tackle tough alpine food like beech roots and even carrion, but also means a single bite can rip through a sheep's wool, explaining why farmers once paid bounties for its removal. Its size and strength are key to surviving the harsh, wind-blasted ridges where few other birds can thrive.
- Kea nest sites are spaced at just one burrow per 4.4 km², often dug 1-6 m into rock or tree roots at elevations above 1,600 m. They lay 2-5 eggs in July, January, incubate for ~21 days, then brood for 94 days. With less than 40% of chicks surviving their first year and a median wild lifespan of five years, each successful fledgling represents a major boost to a population that may number only 3,000-7,000 individuals today.
- When faced with a choice, kea can wait 160 seconds for a better reward, showing impulse control on par with primates. In puzzle tests they push, pull, and even use tools, like a beak-broken bird named Bruce wedging pebbles to preen. Such foresight and problem-solving let them exploit unpredictable alpine resources, from hidden insect larvae to human rubbish, fueling their survival in an extreme environment.
- Lead poisoning silently threatens kea: all 38 live birds tested at Aoraki/Mount Cook had detectable blood lead, with 26 at dangerous levels. Lead likely leaches from roofing materials that curious kea peck at, linking their inquisitive nature directly to mortality. Understanding this link has prompted stricter waste-management and lead-free building practices to protect these mountain parrots.
- Kea are the only parrots that regularly live above the tree line, breeding at heights up to 2,000 m where temperatures drop below freezing. Their alpine lifestyle forces them to be omnivorous, eating over 40 plant species, insects, and carrion, and to migrate seasonally, descending in winter and climbing again in summer. This high-altitude niche reduces competition but also makes them vulnerable to climate shifts and introduced predators.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSouth Island, New Zealand
HabitatAlpine forest and tundra
DietInsects and seeds
About the Kea
In the mist-shrouded mountains of New Zealand, the kea, a parrot of unyielding curiosity, weaves through the forest canopy with an air of mischievous intent, its vibrant green plumage glistening like emeralds in the dappled light. With a call that echoes through the valleys like a raucous laugh, this intelligent and enigmatic bird navigates its endangered world with a boldness that belies its fragile existence. As it swoops and dives, its wings beating with a slow, deliberate rhythm, the kea embodies the very essence of wildness, a fleeting glimpse of a species that clings tenaciously to its place in the world.
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