The Kea

The Kea is a nationally endangered bird endemic in New Zealand.

These birds are the only mountain parrots in the world. Nesting on the ground, they live in the alpine regions of New Zealand. Keas are covered with greenish-brown feathers that allow them to camouflage in trees. Under their wings, a radiant orange patch can be seen which they use for communication. They have 4 toes in order to grab on branches. Using their strong beaks, they test everything that they find. There are cases when they use their beaks to rip apart car parts such as the side mirrors and the rubbers around windows.

The Kea's diet consists of different plants and insects which makes them omnivores. They are known to be opportunists and scavengers because they will eat any meat that they will find. However, if there's no food to be found, Keas attack livestock, especially sheep, which is the main reason why farmers shot down thousands of these birds in the late 1860s.

The breeding season of Keas starts from July and ends in January. During the breeding season, the female incubates 5 eggs at most in a span of almost a month while the male Kea finds food for his family. The female Kea will take care of her hatchlings for 4 months until they become fledglings. 

The kea is a nationally endangered bird and thanks conservation methods, their numbers slowly but surely increasing.