<- Homepage: Kea: our threatened mountain parrot
Kea glossary
adaptation
Physical and behavioural changes over time to fit new environments or conditions.
alpine zone
In the mountains, above the treeline.
avian
Bird related e.g. avian disease is a disease that birds catch.
beech mast
In ‘mast years’ beech forests produce a very large amount of seed. Mast seeding is triggered by warm temperatures in late summer and early autumn.
biodiversity
Many different types of plants and animals.
biological control
Term given to the use of natural predators, parasites or pathogens to control pests.
bounty
A reward, especially one offered by a government.
canopy
In a beech forest, canopy refers to the upper layer formed by mature trees.
captive
An animal which is held captive is not free, it is held in some kind of cage or enclosure and is fed by people.
ecology
The study of living things in relation to each other and to where they live.
ecosystem
A community of organisms together with the environment that they inhabit and depend on.
elevation
The height above mean sea level.
endangered species
A group of animals that is declining in numbers and may become extinct soon.
endemic
Found only in one country e.g. kiwi are found only in New Zealand.
extinction
Not existing anymore e.g. the moa is an extinct bird.
fauna
Animals of a particular area.
fledge
The stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are developed enough for it to fly.
flora
Plants of a particular area.
food chain
An arrangement of organisms in a community according to which organism is eaten or eats another. Food chains always start with a plant (or plants).
food web
A system of food chains linked to one another.
forage
To search for food.
habitat
Living place of plant or animal.
introduced
Brought into the New Zealand environment.
invertebrate
Any animal that does not have a spinal cord at any stage of its life such as worms, insects, spiders, crustaceans and molluscs.
juvenile
Animal that has not yet reached adult form.
KCT
The Kea Conservation Trust.
larvae
The juvenile form of an animal before it changes into an adult.
life cycle
The development stages an organism goes through from the beginning of its life to when it is able to reproduce.
mammalian predators
New Zealand’s native species have been decimated by the introduction of a variety of predatory mammals including rats, cats, possums and stoats.
mandible
The jaw or a jawbone, or the upper and lower parts of a bird's beak.
mustelid
Stoats, ferrets and weasels.
National Park
A reserve of natural land owned by the government set aside for environmental protection and recreation.
native
Found naturally in one country but may also be found naturally in other countries e.g. fantails are found in New Zealand and also in Australia.
niche
How an organism makes a living. It describes things such as an organism's life history, its habitat, its position in a food chain and food web and its geographic range. No two species can occupy the same niche in the same environment for a long time.
nocturnal
Active at night rather than during the day.
omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and other animals (humans are often omnivores).
parrot
A group of birds that all belong to the same order (Psittaciformes) and have hooked bills.
pollution
The presence of unwanted matter or energy (heat, noise, etc.) that have harmful effects on living or non-living matter.
predator
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
prey
Verb - The act of hunting, catching, killing, and eating. Noun - The animal that is being hunted.
repellent
Something that is added to ward off something else e.g. insect repellent.
risk
The potential that an action or activity will lead to a loss or cause people harm.
sub-alpine
The area above the treeline but below the alpine rocky zone where very little grows.
sustainable
Using natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of an area.
toxin
Poison
vertebrates
Animals with backbones.
