Story: Birds of mountains and open country

This view across Mt Hooker and the Landsborough valley towards Aoraki/Mt Cook shows the vast alpine highlands that are home to the kea. These hardy mountain parrots nest close to the treeline. They feed in tussock herbfields up to the snowline, as well as in the bush (appearing as a dark green band on the lower slopes). Delicate-looking rock wrens live up above the forest edge – in bluffs, at the foot of rock falls, or among alpine shrubs.