Kea
Encyclopedia
The Kea (ˈkeɪ.ə; kɛ.a) (Nestor notabilis) is a large species of parrot
(family Strigopidae) found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island
of New Zealand
. About 48 centimetres (18.9 in) long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot. Its omnivorous diet includes carrion
but consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar, and insects. Now uncommon, the Kea was once killed for bounty due to concerns by the sheep farming community that it attacked livestock, especially sheep. It only received full protection in 1986.
The Kea nests in burrows or crevices among the roots of trees. Kea are known for their intelligence
and curiosity
, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective.
John Gould
in 1856. Its specific epithet, the Latin
term notabilis, means "noteworthy". The common name is from Māori
, probably representing the screech of the bird. The term Kea is both singular and plural.
The genus Nestor contains four species: the New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), the Kea (N. notabilis), and the extinct Norfolk Kaka (N. productus) and Chatham Kaka (N. sp.). All four are thought to stem from a "proto-Kākā", dwelling in the forests of New Zealand five million years ago. Their closest relative is the Kākāpō
(Strigops habroptila). Together, they form the parrot family Strigopidae, an ancient group that split off from all other Psittacidae before their radiation.
A gathering or group of Kea is called a circus.
, eyerings, and legs are grey. It has orange feathers on the undersides of its wings. The feathers on the sides of its face are dark olive-brown, feathers on its back and rump are orange-red, and some of the outer wing feathers are dull-blue. It has a short and broad bluish-green tail with a black tip. Feather shafts project at the tip of the tail and the undersides of the inner tail feathers have yellow-orange transverse stripes. The male is about 5% longer than the female, and the male's upper beak is 12–14% longer than the female's. Juveniles generally resemble adults, but have yellow eyerings and cere, an orange-yellow lower beak, and grey-yellow legs.
species endemic to New Zealand
. The other mainland species are the New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), the Kākāpō
(Strigops habroptila), and three species of Kākāriki
: the Yellow-crowned Parakeet
(Cyanoramphus auriceps), the Red-crowned Parakeet
(Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) and the Orange-fronted Parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi). The other New Zealand parrot species are the Chatham Kaka (N. sp.) and Chatham Parakeet (Cyanoramphus forbesi), from the Chatham Islands, and the Antipodes Parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor)) and Reischek's Parakeet
(Cyanoramphus hochstetteri), endemic to Antipodes Island. An unidentified parakeet also lived on Campbell Island, but was extinct by 1840.
The Kea ranges from lowland river valleys and coastal forests of the westcoast up to the alpine
regions of the South Island
such as Arthur's Pass
and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
, closely associated throughout its range with the southern beech (Nothofagus
) forests in the alpine ridge. Apart from occasional vagrants, Kea are not found in the North Island, although fossil evidence suggests a population lived there over 10,000 years ago.
The population was estimated at between 1,000 and 5,000 individuals in 1986, contrasting with another estimate of 15,000 birds in 1992. Both estimates depend heavily upon the assumptions made. The Kea's widespread distribution at low density across inaccessible areas prevents accurate estimates.
People commonly encounter wild Kea at South Island ski areas. The Kea are attracted by the prospect of food scraps. Their curiosity leads them to peck and carry away unguarded items of clothing or to pry apart rubber parts of cars—to the entertainment and annoyance of human observers. They are often described as "cheeky". A Kea has even been reported to have made off with a Scottish man's passport while he was visiting Fiordland National Park.
Feeding Kea has been shown to have a detrimental effect on the birds' health and well-being and is thought to contribute to their destructive behaviour. The birds' trusting behaviour around humans has also been indicated as a contributing factor in a number of recent incidents at popular tourist spots where Kea have been purposely killed.
lifespan of a wild subadult Kea has been estimated at 5 years, based on the proportion of Kea seen again in successive seasons in Arthur's Pass, and allowing for some emigration to surrounding areas. Around 10% of the local Kea population were expected to be over 20 years of age. The oldest known captive Kea was 50 years old in 2008.
Kea are social and live in groups of up to 13 birds. Isolated individuals do badly in captivity but respond well to mirror images.
In one study, nest sites occur at a density of 1 per 4.4 km². The breeding areas are most commonly in Southern Beech (Nothofagus) forests, located on steep mountain sides. Breeding at heights of 1600 m above sea level and higher, it is one of the few parrot species in the world to regularly spend time above tree line. Nest sites are usually positioned on the ground underneath large beech trees, in rock crevices or dug burrows between roots. They are accessed by tunnels leading back 1 m to 6 m into a larger chamber, which is furnished with lichens, moss, ferns and rotting wood. The laying period starts in July and reaches into January. Two to five white eggs are laid, with an incubation time of around 21 days, and a brooding period of 94 days.
, the Kea feeds on more than 40 plant species (Tab. 1), beetle larva, other birds (including shearwater chicks) and mammals (including sheep and rabbits). It has been observed breaking open shearwater
nests to feed on the chicks after hearing the chicks in their nests. The Kea has also taken advantage of human garbage and "gifts" of food. In captivity, the bird is fond of butter, nuts, apples, carrots, grapes, mangoes, figs, bread, dairy products, ground meat and pasta.
There was a long-running controversy about whether the Kea preys on sheep. Sheep suffering from unusual wounds on their sides or loin were noticed by the mid-1860s, within a decade of sheep farmers moving into the high country. Although some supposed the cause was a new disease, suspicion soon fell on the Kea. James MacDonald, head shepherd at Wanaka Station, witnessed a Kea attacking a sheep in 1868, and similar accounts were widespread. Prominent members of the scientific community accepted that Kea attacked sheep, with Alfred Wallace
citing this as an example of behavioural change in his 1889 book Darwinism. Despite substantial anecdotal evidence of these attacks, however, others remained unconvinced, especially in later years. For instance, in 1962, animal specialist J.R. Jackson concluded that while the bird may attack sick or injured sheep, especially if it mistook them for dead, it was not a significant predator. In 1993, however, its nocturnal assaults were captured on video, proving that at least some Kea will attack and feed on healthy sheep. The video confirmed what many scientists had long suspected, that the Kea uses its powerful curved beak and claws to rip through the layer of wool and eat the fat from the back of the animal. Though the bird does not directly kill the sheep, death can result from blood poisoning or accidents suffered by animals trying to escape.
There were also anecdotal reports of Kea attacking rabbits, dogs, and even horses.
The Kea has been observed feeding on the following plants:
.
A study of Kea numbers in Nelson Lakes National Park
showed a substantial decline in the population between 1999 and 2009, caused primarily by predation of Kea eggs and chicks. Video cameras set up to monitor Kea nests in South Westland have confirmed that possums do kill Kea fledglings.
Lead poisoning (mostly from building materials) is also a significant cause of premature deaths among Kea. Research on lead toxicity in Kea living at Aoraki/Mount Cook found that of 38 live Kea tested all were found to have detectable blood lead levels, 26 considered dangerously high. Additional analysis of 15 dead Kea sent to Massey University
for diagnostic pathology between 1991 and 1997 found nine to have lead blood levels consistent with causing death. Research conducted by Victoria University in 2008 confirmed that the natural curiosity of Kea which has enabled the species to adapt to its extreme environment, may increase its propensity to poisoning through ingestion of lead – ie. the more investigative behaviours identified in a bird the higher its blood lead levels were likely to be.
Toxins used to control invasive pest
mammals such as stoat
s and possums
have also been implicated in Kea deaths. For example, seven Kea were found dead following an aerial possum control operation at Fox Glacier
in July 2008 and a further seven in August 2011, following an aerial possum control operation in Ōkārito Forest. Traps are also considered a risk to Kea. In September 2011, hidden cameras caught Kea breaking into baited stoat traps in the Matukituki Valley. More than 75% of the traps had been sprung.
Despite being classified as Nationally Endangered in the New Zealand Threat Classification System
and Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
and protected by law, Kea are still deliberately shot. For example, in the late 1990s, a Fox Glacier resident killed 33 Kea in the glacier car park and in 2008, two Kea were shot in Arthur's Pass and stapled to a sign.
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
(family Strigopidae) found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. About 48 centimetres (18.9 in) long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot. Its omnivorous diet includes carrion
Carrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
but consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar, and insects. Now uncommon, the Kea was once killed for bounty due to concerns by the sheep farming community that it attacked livestock, especially sheep. It only received full protection in 1986.
The Kea nests in burrows or crevices among the roots of trees. Kea are known for their intelligence
Bird intelligence
Bird intelligence deals with the definition of intelligence and its measurement as it applies to birds. Traditionally, birds have been considered inferior in intelligence to mammals, and derogatory terms such as bird brains have been used colloquially in some cultures. Such perceptions are no...
and curiosity
Curiosity
Curiosity is an emotion related to natural inquisitive behavior such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in human and many animal species. The term can also be used to denote the behavior itself being caused by the emotion of curiosity...
, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective.
Taxonomy and naming
The Kea was described by ornithologistOrnithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
John Gould
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
in 1856. Its specific epithet, the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
term notabilis, means "noteworthy". The common name is from Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
, probably representing the screech of the bird. The term Kea is both singular and plural.
The genus Nestor contains four species: the New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), the Kea (N. notabilis), and the extinct Norfolk Kaka (N. productus) and Chatham Kaka (N. sp.). All four are thought to stem from a "proto-Kākā", dwelling in the forests of New Zealand five million years ago. Their closest relative is the Kākāpō
Kakapo
The Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...
(Strigops habroptila). Together, they form the parrot family Strigopidae, an ancient group that split off from all other Psittacidae before their radiation.
A gathering or group of Kea is called a circus.
Description
The Kea is a large parrot about 48 centimetres (18.9 in) long and weighing 0.8–1 kg (1.8–2.2 lb). It has mostly olive-green plumage with a grey beak having a long narrow curved upper beak. The adult has dark-brown irises, and the cereCère
The Cère is a long river in south-western France, left tributary of the Dordogne River. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, near the mountain Plomb du Cantal...
, eyerings, and legs are grey. It has orange feathers on the undersides of its wings. The feathers on the sides of its face are dark olive-brown, feathers on its back and rump are orange-red, and some of the outer wing feathers are dull-blue. It has a short and broad bluish-green tail with a black tip. Feather shafts project at the tip of the tail and the undersides of the inner tail feathers have yellow-orange transverse stripes. The male is about 5% longer than the female, and the male's upper beak is 12–14% longer than the female's. Juveniles generally resemble adults, but have yellow eyerings and cere, an orange-yellow lower beak, and grey-yellow legs.
Distribution and habitat
The Kea is one of ten parrotParrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
species endemic to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The other mainland species are the New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), the Kākāpō
Kakapo
The Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...
(Strigops habroptila), and three species of Kākāriki
Kakariki
The three species of Kākāriki or New Zealand parakeets are the most common species of parakeet in the genus Cyanoramphus, family Psittacidae. The birds' Māori name, which is the most commonly used, means "small parrot"....
: the Yellow-crowned Parakeet
Yellow-crowned Parakeet
The Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Cyanoramphus auriceps, is a species of parakeet endemic to the islands of New Zealand. The species is found across the main three islands of New Zealand, North Island, South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura, as well as on the subantarctic Auckland Islands...
(Cyanoramphus auriceps), the Red-crowned Parakeet
Red-crowned Parakeet
The Red-crowned Parakeet, Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae, is a small species of parrot from New Zealand. The species was once lumped with several other parrots from New Zealand's outlying islands, New Caledonia and Norfolk Island, but these have now been afforded full species status...
(Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) and the Orange-fronted Parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi). The other New Zealand parrot species are the Chatham Kaka (N. sp.) and Chatham Parakeet (Cyanoramphus forbesi), from the Chatham Islands, and the Antipodes Parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor)) and Reischek's Parakeet
Reischek's Parakeet
Reischek’s Parakeet is a small green parrot confined to 21 km2 Antipodes Island, one of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands, which it shares with a congener, the larger Antipodes Island Parakeet.-Taxonomy:...
(Cyanoramphus hochstetteri), endemic to Antipodes Island. An unidentified parakeet also lived on Campbell Island, but was extinct by 1840.
The Kea ranges from lowland river valleys and coastal forests of the westcoast up to the alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
regions of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
such as Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass
Arthur's Pass is a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand. It marks part of the boundary between the West Coast and Canterbury regions, 140 km from Christchurch and 95 km from Greymouth. The pass lies in a saddle between the valleys of the Otira River, a...
and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is in the South Island of New Zealand near the town of Twizel. Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain and Aoraki/Mount Cook village lie within the park...
, closely associated throughout its range with the southern beech (Nothofagus
Nothofagus
Nothofagus, also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 35 species of trees and shrubs native to the temperate oceanic to tropical Southern Hemisphere in southern South America and Australasia...
) forests in the alpine ridge. Apart from occasional vagrants, Kea are not found in the North Island, although fossil evidence suggests a population lived there over 10,000 years ago.
The population was estimated at between 1,000 and 5,000 individuals in 1986, contrasting with another estimate of 15,000 birds in 1992. Both estimates depend heavily upon the assumptions made. The Kea's widespread distribution at low density across inaccessible areas prevents accurate estimates.
Interactions with humans
The Kea's notorious urge to explore and manipulate makes this bird a pest for residents and an attraction for tourists. Called "the clown of the mountains", it will investigate backpacks, boots or even cars, often causing damage or flying off with smaller items.People commonly encounter wild Kea at South Island ski areas. The Kea are attracted by the prospect of food scraps. Their curiosity leads them to peck and carry away unguarded items of clothing or to pry apart rubber parts of cars—to the entertainment and annoyance of human observers. They are often described as "cheeky". A Kea has even been reported to have made off with a Scottish man's passport while he was visiting Fiordland National Park.
Feeding Kea has been shown to have a detrimental effect on the birds' health and well-being and is thought to contribute to their destructive behaviour. The birds' trusting behaviour around humans has also been indicated as a contributing factor in a number of recent incidents at popular tourist spots where Kea have been purposely killed.
Life span
Mortality is high among young Kea, with less than 40% surviving their first year. The medianMedian
In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to...
lifespan of a wild subadult Kea has been estimated at 5 years, based on the proportion of Kea seen again in successive seasons in Arthur's Pass, and allowing for some emigration to surrounding areas. Around 10% of the local Kea population were expected to be over 20 years of age. The oldest known captive Kea was 50 years old in 2008.
Breeding
At least one observer has reported that the Kea is polygynous, with one male attached to multiple females. The same source noted that there was a surplus of females.Kea are social and live in groups of up to 13 birds. Isolated individuals do badly in captivity but respond well to mirror images.
In one study, nest sites occur at a density of 1 per 4.4 km². The breeding areas are most commonly in Southern Beech (Nothofagus) forests, located on steep mountain sides. Breeding at heights of 1600 m above sea level and higher, it is one of the few parrot species in the world to regularly spend time above tree line. Nest sites are usually positioned on the ground underneath large beech trees, in rock crevices or dug burrows between roots. They are accessed by tunnels leading back 1 m to 6 m into a larger chamber, which is furnished with lichens, moss, ferns and rotting wood. The laying period starts in July and reaches into January. Two to five white eggs are laid, with an incubation time of around 21 days, and a brooding period of 94 days.
Diet
An omnivoreOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, the Kea feeds on more than 40 plant species (Tab. 1), beetle larva, other birds (including shearwater chicks) and mammals (including sheep and rabbits). It has been observed breaking open shearwater
Shearwater
Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...
nests to feed on the chicks after hearing the chicks in their nests. The Kea has also taken advantage of human garbage and "gifts" of food. In captivity, the bird is fond of butter, nuts, apples, carrots, grapes, mangoes, figs, bread, dairy products, ground meat and pasta.
There was a long-running controversy about whether the Kea preys on sheep. Sheep suffering from unusual wounds on their sides or loin were noticed by the mid-1860s, within a decade of sheep farmers moving into the high country. Although some supposed the cause was a new disease, suspicion soon fell on the Kea. James MacDonald, head shepherd at Wanaka Station, witnessed a Kea attacking a sheep in 1868, and similar accounts were widespread. Prominent members of the scientific community accepted that Kea attacked sheep, with Alfred Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist...
citing this as an example of behavioural change in his 1889 book Darwinism. Despite substantial anecdotal evidence of these attacks, however, others remained unconvinced, especially in later years. For instance, in 1962, animal specialist J.R. Jackson concluded that while the bird may attack sick or injured sheep, especially if it mistook them for dead, it was not a significant predator. In 1993, however, its nocturnal assaults were captured on video, proving that at least some Kea will attack and feed on healthy sheep. The video confirmed what many scientists had long suspected, that the Kea uses its powerful curved beak and claws to rip through the layer of wool and eat the fat from the back of the animal. Though the bird does not directly kill the sheep, death can result from blood poisoning or accidents suffered by animals trying to escape.
There were also anecdotal reports of Kea attacking rabbits, dogs, and even horses.
The Kea has been observed feeding on the following plants:
| Fruits: | Astelia nervosa | Leaves and buds: | Euphrasia zelandica |
| Coprosma pseudopunctata | Gentiana bellidifolia | ||
| Coprosma pumila | Gentiana spenceri | ||
| Coprosma serrulata | Gnaphalium traversii | ||
| Cyathodes colensoi | Hebe pauciramosa | ||
| Cyathodes fraseri | Hebe vernicosa | ||
| Caultheria depressa | Lagenophora petiolata | ||
| Muehlenbeckia axillaris Muehlenbeckia axillaris Muehlenbeckia axillaris is a low shrub, forming wiry mats up to about 1 m in diameter, native to New Zealand, and Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It has thin, red-brown stems, with squarish to roundish leaves that are less than 1 cm in diameter, and 2–4 mm thick... |
Nothofagus solandri Nothofagus solandri Nothofagus solandri is a species of Nothofagus, endemic to New Zealand, where it occurs on both the North Island and the South Island. There are two varieties, var. solandri, the New Zealand Black Beech, which occurs at low altitudes up to the mountains, and var... var. cliff |
||
| Pentachondra pumila | |||
| Podocarpus nivalis Podocarpus nivalis Podocarpus nivalis is a species of conifer in the Podocarpaceae family.It is found only in New Zealand. It grows in the mountains and subalpine lands from 37° to the far south New Zealand about 46° South Latitude... |
|||
| Seeds: | Aciphylla colensoi Aciphylla colensoi Aciphylla colensoi is a species of Aciphylla, commonly known as Speargrass or Spaniard. Individual plants may be up to in diameter and half as high, and consist of sharp spines, all pointing out from the centre. Yellow flowers may also be present, located on long, strong stems. A... |
Flowers: | Celimisia coriacea |
| Aciphylla ferox | Celimisia discolor var. ampla | ||
| Aciphylla monroi | Celimisia spectabilis var. ang | ||
| Astelia nervosa | Cotula pyrethrifolia | ||
| Hebe ciliolata | Gentiana bellidifolia | ||
| Pimelea oreophila | Gentiana patula | ||
| Pittosporum anomalum | Gentiana spenceri | ||
| Plantago raoulia | Haastia pulvinaris | ||
| Luzula campestris | |||
| Roots: | Anisotome pilifera | Entire plant: | Anisotome aromatica var. arom |
| Celmisia coriacea | Ourisia sessilifolia | ||
| Gingidium montanum | Ourisia caespitosa | ||
| Notothlaspi australe | Ourisia macrophylla | ||
| Ranunculus insignis |
Threats and conservation
Together with local councils and runholders, the New Zealand government paid a bounty for Kea bills because the bird preyed upon livestock, mainly sheep. It was intended that hunters would kill Kea only on the farms and council areas that paid the bounty, but some hunted them in national parks and in Westland, where they were officially protected. More than 150,000 were killed in the hundred years before 1970, when the bounty was lifted. In the 1970s, the Kea received partial protection after a census counted only 5000 birds. The government agreed to investigate any reports of problem birds and have them removed from the land. It was not until 1986 that it was given full protection under the Wildlife Act 1953Wildlife Act 1953
-External links:*...
.
A study of Kea numbers in Nelson Lakes National Park
Nelson Lakes National Park
Nelson Lakes National Park is located in the South Island of New Zealand.It was formed in 1956 and covers some 1,020 km². It is centered at two large lakes, Rotoiti and Rotoroa. The park also includes surrounding valleys and mountain ranges...
showed a substantial decline in the population between 1999 and 2009, caused primarily by predation of Kea eggs and chicks. Video cameras set up to monitor Kea nests in South Westland have confirmed that possums do kill Kea fledglings.
Lead poisoning (mostly from building materials) is also a significant cause of premature deaths among Kea. Research on lead toxicity in Kea living at Aoraki/Mount Cook found that of 38 live Kea tested all were found to have detectable blood lead levels, 26 considered dangerously high. Additional analysis of 15 dead Kea sent to Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
for diagnostic pathology between 1991 and 1997 found nine to have lead blood levels consistent with causing death. Research conducted by Victoria University in 2008 confirmed that the natural curiosity of Kea which has enabled the species to adapt to its extreme environment, may increase its propensity to poisoning through ingestion of lead – ie. the more investigative behaviours identified in a bird the higher its blood lead levels were likely to be.
Toxins used to control invasive pest
Pest
Pest may refer to:*Pest , an animal or plant detrimental to humans or human concerns*Pest, an archaic term for pestilence, originally the Black Death*Pest , an ice hockey player specialising in aggravating opponents...
mammals such as stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
s and possums
Common Brushtail Possum
The Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
have also been implicated in Kea deaths. For example, seven Kea were found dead following an aerial possum control operation at Fox Glacier
Fox Glacier
The Fox Glacier is a long glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island...
in July 2008 and a further seven in August 2011, following an aerial possum control operation in Ōkārito Forest. Traps are also considered a risk to Kea. In September 2011, hidden cameras caught Kea breaking into baited stoat traps in the Matukituki Valley. More than 75% of the traps had been sprung.
Despite being classified as Nationally Endangered in the New Zealand Threat Classification System
New Zealand Threat Classification System
The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand....
and Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
and protected by law, Kea are still deliberately shot. For example, in the late 1990s, a Fox Glacier resident killed 33 Kea in the glacier car park and in 2008, two Kea were shot in Arthur's Pass and stapled to a sign.
External links
- World Parrot Trust Parrot Encyclopedia – Species Profiles
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Kea at the Department of Conservation
- Images and movies of the Kea, ARKive
- Kea research at the University of Vienna
- Kea and people, Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
- Kea Conservation Trust