Kea (Nestor notabilis) — Endangered

Kea (Nestor notabilis), a large olive-green alpine parrot. — Kea (Nestor notabilis), Fiordland, New Zealand.
Image: Mark Whatmough, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category: EN · Endangered
Animal group: Birds
Population trend: Decreasing
FaunaHub record reviewed: 2026-06-16
Checked against IUCN: Matches source — IUCN's 2017 global assessment of Nestor notabilis says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The kea is a large alpine parrot of New Zealand, famous for its intelligence and bold curiosity. It is assessed as Endangered.

It is one of the few parrots adapted to cold mountain environments.

Range & habitat

Mountains of the South Island of New Zealand.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

Introduced predators
Conflict with people and past culling
Lead poisoning from buildings

Why it matters

A highly intelligent alpine parrot found only in New Zealand, the kea is both a research subject for animal cognition and a flagship for the country's mountain wildlife.

Gallery

A kea in flight, showing orange under its wings. — Kea (Nestor notabilis) in flight.
Image: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Kea

IUCN Red List — look up Kea (authoritative status)
BirdLife International

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the kea considered so intelligent?

Keas are renowned for problem-solving, tool-related behaviour, play, and mischief — investigating (and often dismantling) human objects — making them a focus of animal-cognition research.

Why is the kea Endangered?

Published assessments cite introduced predators, conflict with people (including past culling), and hazards such as lead poisoning from old buildings. See the IUCN Red List.