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

The first parrot species known to open trash bins was the kea in New Zealand in a park setting.

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2021

The kea is pretty to look at, having rich red and green plumage, but it is a cruel bird.

From Austral English A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia by Morris, Edward Ellis