kea

¹ American  

[key-uh, kee-uh] / ˈkeɪ ə, ˈki ə /

noun

1. a large, greenish New Zealand parrot, Nestor notabilis.

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Kea ² American  

[key-ah, kee-uh] / ˈkeɪ ɑ, ˈki ə /

noun

1. Keos.

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Kéa ¹ British  

/ ˈkɛa /

noun

1. transliteration of the Modern Greek name for Keos

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Kea ² British  

noun

1. (in New Zealand) a member of the junior branch of the Scouts

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kea ³ British  

/ ˈkeɪə /

noun

1. a large New Zealand parrot, Nestor notabilis, with brownish-green plumage

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Etymology

Origin of kea

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1860–65

Example Sentences

The next highest votes went to the kea, which got 12,506 votes; and the kakaruia or black robin, which followed closely with 11,726 votes.

From BBC • Sep. 28, 2025

Rounding out the top five were the kea, kākāpō and the fantail.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2023

At least one major zoo, at Chester, said it would close while Bristol Zoo said squirrel monkeys, kea parrots and red pandas were being fed frozen ice lollies filled with vegetables, leaves or mealworms.

From Reuters • Jul. 19, 2022

“It would have been interesting to see how the kea would have developed over time, but unfortunately, the park was not too happy about the trash raids and changed the bin covers.”

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2021

In New Zealand there is a parrot, the kea, that once lived upon honey and fruit, but that now lives upon the sheep, tearing its way down to the kidney fat.

From Ways of Nature by Burroughs, John