Large kea flock ‘micro-chipped’ to track travels

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  11 March 2026

Department of Conservation science staff and rangers recently caught 31 kea from a record flock of about 36 birds, attaching leg bands with tiny microchips. The bands are scanned by solar-powered readers attached to hut roofs and other sites that kea like to visit, allowing their travels to be recorded.

DOC Senior Science Advisor Kerry Weston says the kea caught at Red Tarns above Aoraki Mount Cook Village were part of the largest flock seen at Aoraki since kea surveying began in 2019.

“They were mostly young kea, many just fledged from their nests, including one bird that had travelled 40 km from Whymper Hut on the West Coast across the main divide.

“This is the largest flock of kea I’ve seen at Aoraki or anywhere. Combined with increased sightings of kea around the park, it’s a positive sign that the local kea population is increasing.

“Young kea often band together in wandering flocks in late summer and autumn, but we don’t know where they’re coming from. We’re hoping this research will help answer that question.”

So far, 420 kea have been banded with the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags over the past two summers as part of the trial. There are 13 readers installed at huts and other sites within the adjacent Westland Tai Poutini and Aoraki Mount Cook national parks, and other nearby conservation areas. More readers will be added including to New Zealand Alpine Club huts.

Use of the RFID tags is a cost-effective way of monitoring kea. The leg bands cost less than $1 each and the data is passively gathered as kea land on the readers.

The trial, which is supported by the World Parrot Trust, addresses one of the priorities of a new joint recovery strategy by DOC, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the Kea Conservation Trust to develop new tools and approaches to monitor kea populations and their movements across the landscape.

While it’s known kea fly large distances, improved understanding of kea movement patterns will help inform the design of effective predator control and other management measures.

Early trial results confirm young kea are travelling from lowland forests on the West Coast to alpine areas and across the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o Te Moana. For example, one young bird was tracked flying over 30 km from its nest in lowland forest at Ōkārito to Chancellor Hut, perched above Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tuawe.

“The Predator Free South Westland and Te Manahuna Aoraki Project predator eradication work underway in this area is benefiting kea and will give this flock of young birds a good chance of survival,” says Kerry.

Predators such as stoats and feral cats are a big threat to kea, which nest and forage on the ground.

“As we see kea numbers increase in places like Aoraki, we ask people to help keep kea wild and safe.

“When you are out naturing, you can help by giving kea space, not feeding them and keeping your belongings secured so they don’t attract curious kea,” says Kerry.

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