Odd name for an equally odd bird. The New Zealand Kea to be precise. The Kea is one particular of only 10 kinds of parrot discovered in New Zealand, and the only Alpine parrot in the globe. These lovely olive green parrots can be identified in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. It has a brilliant orange coloring beneath the wings, dull blue feathers on the wings and tail, and has a really massive narrow curved beak. Kea are omnivorous (or also known as the New Zealand garbage can), since they do eat carrion (carcasses of dead animals). The Kea feeds on a lot more than 40 plant species, and their diet program consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar and insects. The New Zealand Kea also eat other birds and mammals (such as sheep and rabbits), plus they will not turn you down if you offer them French fries and burgers. In captivity the the New Zealand Kea are normally fed butter, nuts, apples, carrots, grapes, mangoes, figs, bread, dairy merchandise, meat and pasta.
The New Zealand Kea are frequent visitors to Ski-resorts, they in turn attracted to the ‘people life’ who regardless of signs saying not to, will feed these birds (or in numerous instances the birds will assist themselves to what it pleases, including passports and sunglasses). Recent studies have shown that even though far from ideal, these ‘human fed’ birds have a greater body weight than these on a ‘wild’ diet and make slightly above typical number of eggs. So fortunately, on this occasion ‘human’ interference has a very good outcome.
The New Zealand Kea was as soon as killed for bounty due to issues by the sheep farming neighborhood that it attacked livestock, specially sheep. In 1986 the Kea received full protection and numbers are gradually climbing once again. The New Zealand Kea nests in burrows or crevices amongst the roots of trees and are known for their intelligence and curiosity. Each traits are crucial for their survival. The New Zealand Kea are capable to solve logical puzzles, like pushing and pulling issues in a particular order to get to food and are known to function together to achieve a particular objective. Whether that objective is just for pleasure or survival is at times in question, simply because Kea have a reputation for removing the rubber from about car windows and ‘stealing’ things from guests to their habitat (one such incident involved a Scottish tourist who saw his passport be ‘escorted’ off into the mountains by no means to be seen again. I wonder how he explained that to his Embassy!).
The genus ‘Nestor’ consists of four species The New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), the Kea (Nestor Notabillis) and the extinct Norfolk Kaka & Chatham Kaka. All believed to stem from a species that dwelled in the forests of New Zealand five million years ago. The Kea’s closest relative is the Kakapo. A gathering or group of New Zealand Kea is aptly named ‘a circus’ as these birds can typically been observed tumbling and ‘playing’ like kittens.
New Zealand Kea, the alpine parrot is a large parrot of about 48 cm lengthy (19 in) and weighs .eight-1 kg (1.8-two.2lb). Kea are not located in the North Island of New Zealand in the wild, although fossil evidence suggests a population lived there more than 10,000 years ago. As for the number of Kea in the wild, the estimates variety from five,000 to 15,000, this is because of the Kea’s widespread distribution at low density and frequently inaccessible regions prevents an precise ‘head’ count. In an region in the South Island called ‘Athur’s Pass’ about ten% of the local Kea are expected to be over 20 years of age. The oldest captive Kea was 50 years old in 2008.
About the Author :
Monica Toretto is a writer, painter, photographer and blogger. She lives with her two young sons in Invercargill near Bluff. She has travelled broadly in Canada and the US and worked as a veterinary technician just before returning to New Zealand. Her function has appeared in many magazines in the UK and New Zealand. She has also authored a book of poetry and photography called ‘Words’.
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