Fiordland	Fiordland	Nelson	The Remarkables
The Remarkables	The Remarkables

The Kea (Nestor notabilis) is a semi-nocturnal parrot endemic to the mountains of New Zealand. The Kea is the only parrot capable of living in alpine regions. The Kea is also known as the clown of the mountains, because of its playful nature. They have a reputation for tearing the rubber sealing from cars, and the Kea has also been known as the feathered wolf because of its reputation for attacking and killing farmers' livestock (predominantly sheep). The Kea is the only species of parrot to habitually attack and kill other vertebrates, though this is generally rare and probably restricted to sick or trapped animals. They are probably one of the most active, intelligent, destructive and playful parrots, making them prone to behavioral problems and boredom in captivity if not well cared for.

Both female and male Kea are alike in their dark green coloration, with lighter feathers on the breast, belly and back. Both have red plumage on the napes of their necks and underneath the wings that can be easily seen while in flight. The only visible distinction between the sexes is their mandible with the male having a larger longer curving upper mandible. Males are also slightly larger in general than females, and on average weigh 5% more, with bill length and curvature about 14% more. However, a light male can weigh less than a heavy female. Juvenile Keas have bright yellow eyelids, cere and mandible and their crown feathers have a yellowish tinge to them; fledglings typically acquire their adult plumage at around eighteen months of age, although it can take up to 4 years for juvenile keas to lose the yellow around their eyes. Keas are strong fliers, able to rise from valley bottom to the snowline in minutes. They can easily cross valleys 15-20km wide in little more than half an hour and are particularly adept at riding mountain air currents. Keas are playful in character, amusing onlookers with their acrobatics and sideways hopping antics even when simply moving forward.