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Been to NZ once. Keas are indeed the coolest parrots ever. Climb to the top of Avalanche Peak and you’re guaranteed to see some soaring in the sky, with snowy M
by bwv848 6mo ago
Been to NZ once. Keas are indeed the coolest parrots ever. Climb to the top of Avalanche Peak and you’re guaranteed to see some soaring in the sky, with snowy Mt. Rolleston in the background. Kiwis call them alpine parrots, but they are not. They were common on both islands before Polynesian/Maori hunted many of them, and European ranchers forced them to retreat to high beech forests and alpine zones. Another place is Dart Hut, I even found some kea feathers there.
- Supercompressor 6mo agoKiwi here. They live in alpine regions, they have adapted to alpine life - how are they not alpine parrots? Go back far enough and you could make this argument about anything.
- bwv848 6mo agoSure man, if 700 years is far enough for you. Meanwhile, human spent thousands of years to domesticate junglefowl into chicken.
- Supercompressor 6mo agoDomestication ≠ habitat classification. Alpine refers to habitat. Kea live, feed, and breed in alpine environments and are behaviourally adapted to it. By your logic, because my ancestors ~300 years ago aren’t from New Zealand, I’m not a New Zealander.
- bwv848 6mo agoSure man, ask the Keas, I am sure they like their new name and wouldn't prefer to live in lowland if human were to disappear in NZ.
- Supercompressor 6mo agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kea