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Kea - Mountain Parrot
Television (Full Length) – 1993
This documentary tells the story of the inimitable kea. The 'Clown of the Alps' is heralded as the world’s smartest bird (its intelligence rivals a monkey’s). Kea are famous on South Island tracks and ski fields for their insatiable (and destructive) inquisitiveness. Curiosity almost killed the kea when it was labelled a sheep killer, and tens of thousands were killed for a bounty. After shots of baby kea being fed, there is extraordinary night footage in clip four of the 'avian wolf' in action. The award-winning film makes a compelling case for the charismatic kea as a national icon.
These are the mischievous monkeys in parrot's feathers, intoxicated with their own cleverness.– Narrator Barry Paine on kea hijinks in ski area carparks
Key Cast & Crew
See all 12 credits
Produced by
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Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR)
Acknowledgements
Made with funding from NZ On Air
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Legend of Birds
Kea feature in this 1962 doumentary
Seven Black Robins
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Birdland - First Episode
A 2009 series on NZ birds
Wildtrack - From Mountains to Sea Floor
Keas feature in this episode from the kids nature show
Bidibidi - First Episode
Stella the kea features in this kids' puppet series
Moa's Ark : To the Lifeboats
More birds on this David Bellamy natural history series
Spot On - First Episode
Also shot by Paul Donovan
Journeys in National Parks: Westland / Aoraki
A documentary featuring kea
The Black Stilt
Another natural history documentary directed by Rod Morris
Castles of the Underworld
More music by Neville Copland
Flare - A Ski Trip
Includes scenes shot at The Remarkables ski field
Young Mountains
Documentary on the Southern Alps featuring Kea
Mirrorworld
Kea feature in this NHNZ documentary
Incredible Mountains
More kea and skiing
The Black Robin - A Chatham Island Story
Award-winning bird documentary directed by Rod Morris
The Prince of Nosey-Parkers
A 1970s documentary on kea
Uphill
Kea can be heard in this short film
Primeval New Zealand
Another NHNZ show featuring kea
Song of Protest
Also directed by Rod Morris
Loading Docs 2017 - Ajax the Kea Conservation Dog
A short film on kea conservation in 2017
Kākāpō - Night Parrot
Rod Morris's first documentary as director
Meet the Locals: Treble Cone Vandals
Short doco about keas at Treble Cone ski field
Kiwi - A Natural History
Documentary about New Zealand's national bird
In Search of the Moa
Documentary about New Zealand's legendary moa
Meet the Locals: Sirocco the Kākāpō
Another New Zealand parrot
Tales from Te Papa - The Tale of the Hakawai
Mini documentary about an unusual extinct bird