By Sheetal Kumari | August 12, 2025
Discover the unique kea, the world’s only alpine parrot found in New Zealand’s mountains.
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Kea inhabit high in New Zealand’s South Island mountains, where they thrive in frigid, harsh alpine habitats.
Image: Canva
They possess olive-green plumage with bright orange undersides, making them beautiful and conspicuous.
Image: Canva
Kea are very intelligent and inquisitive, famous for solving problems and for engaging with people.
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Diet is diverse, comprising plants, insects, and the occasional scavenged meat or carrion.
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Kea are playful and mischievous, naturally investigating and playing with things around them.
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Endangered, kea are threatened by predators, habitat destruction, and human conflict.
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Kea play a significant role in Māori culture and mythology, representing cleverness and inquisitiveness.
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Researchers learn about kea behavior in order to help defend them better and gain insights into their special form of intelligence.
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Help conserve kea by looking after their environments and raising awareness about this unusual alpine parrot.
Image: Canva