The flying Clown of the Mountains

Keas (Nestor notabilis) are the famous mountain parrots of Aotearoa New Zealand. Ther are considered intelligent and playful and deserve their nickname as “Clowns of the mountains”.

These parrots have the size of and acts like a one-year-old child, and with approximately the same level of cautious handling of things in its environment. Add wings and ability to fly, and the result can be troublesome, or flat out chaotic.

It has a big beak, large claws and the intelligence level capable of ripping off windscreen wipers, wheel protectors, and decorative strips from cars. Or play and destroy with anything else they can get their beak and claws on.

Sometimes they do it to the cars of the people who for some reason decide to feed them. And sometimes those Keas most accustomed to humans might do damage to parked cars without any people in proximity. Out of boredom, or spite. Like them being annoyed for not getting more food.

Very useful, this bird yells its name to us. The sound it makes as it flies is a high pitched Keeeeeeaa, which sounds very much like a bird of prey in the mountains in the Nordics.

This intelligent mountain parrot is only found in Aotearoa New Zealand.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/03/19/the-flying-clown-of-the-fiordland-mountains/

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A Kea comes into land on a snow-covered tree in Arthur’s Pass National Park. Native to us here in New Zealand’s South Island, Kea are the world’s only alpine parrot—clever, curious, and full of mischief.

#Kea #NZbirds #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #BirdPhotography #SouthIsland #Parrot #CanonNZ #Conservation #AlpineWildlife #MountainParrot #EndemicNZ #MastodonNature #Nature #winter

Arthur’s Pass tourists love kea, but locals are desperately trying to keep them away

A campaign to discourage New Zealand’s charismatic mountain parrot, the kea, from hanging out at a tourist hotspot appears to be working. 

The Spinoff