Last Friday, during the Matariki holiday, we visited Staglands Wildlife Reserve. My previous post featured many of the birds and animals we encountered during our visit, but this one is entirely devoted to a pair of kea that kept us thoroughly entertained with their fascinating courtship display.
Watching Kea Courtship in Action
Kea are an endangered native New Zealand alpine parrot, famous for their intelligence, curiosity, and mischievous nature. They’re never short of personality, and on this occasion they gave us a memorable glimpse into their breeding behaviour.
The first time we walked through the Staglands Wildlife Reserve kea aviary, the pair were calling to each other, with one bird actively moving away from the other. At the time we didn’t think much of it. It was raining, and we were more interested in finding shelter near the guinea pig enclosure.
A More Active Display
Later that morning we returned to the kea aviary and immediately noticed that things had become much more animated.
As a photographer, I was captivated by their antics as they strutted back and forth along a fallen tree trunk. They repeatedly flapped their wings, revealing the brilliant orange and yellow feathers usually hidden beneath them. It was an incredible display to witness and photograph.
Before long it became clear that we were watching a courtship ritual. The pair continued their display until mating took place, after which they separated almost simultaneously, as though the performance had reached its natural conclusion.
A Photographic Story
The photographs in this post are presented in chronological order, documenting the courtship from the first displays through to the final moments.
For me, the standout image is the very last one. It perfectly sums up the encounter.
Job done. Time to move on.
All the images in this post were taken using my Lumix G9II using my Leica 100-400mm lens. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me through my website, or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.