Skip to main content

Kōrero: Birds of mountains and open country

Kea kingdom

Image
Kea kingdom

A kea surveys its rocky alpine homeland, ready to take off in pursuit of novelty. Kea are highly curious, and will fly long distances to check on any new activity. They have been recorded flying 20 kilometres in half an hour. To survive, the birds need to search large areas for food – testing everything for something edible. On the steeper western flanks of the Southern Alps, they fly from the mountain tops to the sea.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10061303

by Timothy Ensom

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Christina Troup, Birds of mountains and open country – Kea – the mountain parrot, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/14003/kea-kingdom (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Christina Troup, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009.