Kea, << KAY uh or KEE uh, >> is a parrot that lives in New Zealand. It is also called the mountain nestor. Its colors are dull olive-green with red under the wings. The kea reaches the size of a large crow, averaging 19 inches (48 centimeters) in length. Adults typically weigh about 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms). The kea spends its summers in the mountains and its winters in the lowlands. It feeds on insects, fruits, and the carcasses of sheep and deer. The kea is unusual among parrots in feeding on flesh. There are few carnivores (meat-eating animals) native to New Zealand, which enabled the kea’s ancestors to begin eating flesh. Around human settlements, the bird may eat almost anything and become quite bold and tame in its search for food. It often walks on the ground. Kea numbers have declined greatly. They are protected by New Zealand law.
