New Zealand Kea - Mountain Parrot

The most amazingly intelligent birds, who sadly expect people to be as intelligent, and we have in many ways let them down.

They aren't afraid of people by and large and so are easy prey for stupid people with guns (recently 5 were found shot and stacked on a BBQ table in a National Park - tragic.) They are of course totally protected, but that apparently doesn't stop people. Incomprehensible to people who care about them.

They are rather mischievous - curious really, and will do a lot of damage while investigating people's belongings. They can rip tents, strip windscreen wipers, steal food and all manner of other activities.

This one was quite happy for me to take its photo. The green on the outside feathers is set off by the underside of the wings which is a bright orangey red. Only seen from underneath when flying.

They live in mountain and forest areas and are skilled at finding food, even around the snow line.

It is endemic, found only in NZ. They were not fully protected until 1986 and hundreds of thousands were killed because it was thought by farmers that they attacked sheep.

They have a great ability to learn and that seems to be the only thing that's saved them.