- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold kea, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the kea
The kea is a large parrot endemic to the forested and alpine regions of New Zealand's South Island, about 46 to 50 cm long. It is mostly olive-green with brilliant orange under the wings and a long, narrow, curved grey-brown upper beak. Its range runs from lowland river valleys and coastal forests up to alpine areas such as Arthur's Pass and Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. The omnivorous diet consists mainly of roots, leaves, berries, nectar and insects, plus carrion. It nests in burrows or crevices among tree roots. Kea are known for intelligence and curiosity, can solve logical puzzles and work together, and have been filmed preparing and using tools.
Kea facts
- Called "the clown of the mountains", it investigates backpacks, boots, skis, snowboards and even cars.
- A group of kea is called a circus or a conspiracy.
- It was once killed for bounty over fears it attacked sheep, and received absolute protection in 1986.
- Its closest relative is the flightless kakapo.
Where to see kea in the U.S.
5 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding kea by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Kansas· 1
Massachusetts· 2
Ohio· 1
Washington· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
