WILLOW BANK WILDLIFE RESERVE.
11 ESOL TRIP.
INFORMATION REPORT.
KEA.
What does Kea look like?
The Kea is an unusual parrot and like all parrots they 4 toes on each foot, two that point forward and two that point backward. This allows it to easily manipulate objects, and move around in the trees and on the ground.
The Kea's feathers are generally an olive emerald green edged with black and bight orange barred yellow and black feathers which are hidden on the underside of its wings. Other colors in the kea include a beautiful royal blue on the top surface of each wings long flight feathers and red/orange on the tail. The kea's beak is long and nicely curved. The male's beak may be around 5 cms long and the female is 4.5 cm long.
Where does kea live?
Kea only exists in the South Island of New Zealand and around the alpine areas. They nest in the beech forest and in the mountain. They only live in the mountain when it's summer because it's nice and warm up in the mountain. In the winter they go down and live in tree holes and caves so they can be safe.
How does it breed?
How does it breed?
Kea can breed each year and are generally thought to mate for life. The male will usually lay a single clutch of eggs per year of 2-5 eggs in a burrow deep in the ground under a beech trees roots or large outcrop rock. The male and female nest with feathers, softwood chips, and dry moss and lichen to protect the eggs and keep them warm.
The female sits on the egg for one month during the winter and spring and is fed by the male during this period. When the eggs hatch the male will then have to find more food for both the female and the chicks as well as himself. This can be very hard working particularly if it is snowing hard. Once the chicks are able to keep warm by themselves, the mother will then join the father to search for food to feed them.
Keas eggs are normally laid from July-October and eggs hatch out after 4 weeks. The chicks will then leave the nest about 12 weeks later.
The female sits on the egg for one month during the winter and spring and is fed by the male during this period. When the eggs hatch the male will then have to find more food for both the female and the chicks as well as himself. This can be very hard working particularly if it is snowing hard. Once the chicks are able to keep warm by themselves, the mother will then join the father to search for food to feed them.
Keas eggs are normally laid from July-October and eggs hatch out after 4 weeks. The chicks will then leave the nest about 12 weeks later.
How does it behave?
Kea are very curious birds and they like to tear things apart and they are interested in shiny things. They get very aggressive when people stops feeding them, only when people stops feeding them.
How healthy is the population?
The kea population is not really that healthy because they are about to extinc
