Photos

Caught up with this cheeky Kea on my way to Milford Sound from Te Anau. From the tag on its leg, its obvious that it was caught before for research and study and protected. Seeing here, this fella landed on the side mirror of my campervan.

The Kea(Nestor notabilis) is a large species of parrot (family Strigopidae) found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About 48 centimetres (19 inches) long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot. Its omnivorous diet includes carrion but consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar, and insects. Now uncommon, the Kea was once killed for bounty due to concerns by the sheep farming community that it attacked livestock, especially sheep. It received full protection only in 1986. -- Wikipedia --