Kea
Nestor notabilis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPsittaciformes (Parrots)
- FamilyPsittacidae (New World and African Parrots)
- GenusNestor (Kaka and Kea)
- SpeciesNestor notabilis (Kea)
The kea ( KEE-ə; Māori: [kɛ.a]; Nestor notabilis) is a species of large parrot in the family Strigopidae that is endemic to the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About 48 cm (19 in) long, it is mostly olive-green, with brilliant orange under its wings, and has a large, narrow, curved, grey-brown upper beak. Its omnivorous diet consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar, and insects, but also includes carrion. It was once killed for bounty due to concern by sheep farmers that it attacked livestock, especially sheep. The kea is now uncommon, and received absolute protection under the Wildlife Act in 1986. The kea nests in burrows or crevices among the roots of trees. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Kea sighting in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, based on 38 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Kea in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Kea sighting in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, based on 38 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Kea in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Kea in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park in our monthly data.