Kea are alpine parrots and inhabit temperate and subtropical/tropical moist lowland forests, shrubland, grassland, and even artificial terrestrial habitats, such as pastureland and urban areas.
Kea are alpine parrots and inhabit temperate and subtropical/tropical moist lowland forests, shrubland, grassland, and even artificial terrestrial habitats, such as pastureland and urban areas.
The kea mostly inhabits high-altitude forest and alpine basins, although birds will often frequent and nest in coastal lowland flats. Kea live in wooded valleys and southern beech (Nothofagus) forests that line sub-alpine scrublands at 600 to 2,000 meters.
Its foraging habitat includes all types of native forest, sub-alpine scrub, tussock and herb-field.
In summer, kea inhabit high elevation scrub and alpine tundra areas. In autumn, they move to higher elevations to forage for berries. In winter, kea move below the timberline.
Climate change may pose a threat through possible future influences on its high altitude habitat.
• Image | © MeisterBohne, Some Rights Reserved, Pixabay
• Sources | (BirdLife International, 2017; del Hoyo, Elliott, Sargatal, Christie, & de Juana, 2017; Williams, 2001)
