Male kea take on the responsibility of feeding the female while she nests, as well as the young until they disperse from their natal range.
Kea have both maternal and paternal parental investment as both parents care for the young.
Once a female kea lays her eggs, she sits on the nest and incubates them for three weeks. During this time, she rarely leaves the nest and the male feeds her. After the eggs hatch, the male continues to feed the female, and she, in turn, feeds the chicks. After a month, the male begins feeding the chicks himself.
The chicks fledge at 9 to 13 weeks of age, and the male assumes sole responsibility for feeding them. He continues feeding his fledglings for up to six weeks. Afterward, the juveniles disperse from their natal area.
• Image | © Barni1, Some Rights Reserved, Pixabay
• Sources | (BirdLife International, 2017; Diamond & Bond, 1999; Williams, 2001)
