New Zealand’s threatened parrots are dying in “preventable” deaths after being hit by vehicles.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) is urging people to stop feeding kea following a spate of road deaths.

Five kea have been hit and killed by vehicles at popular waypoints on Milford Road, in the South Island since April.

DoC senior ranger biodiversity Lydia McLean said these road deaths are “gutting for everyone” and can be avoided if people follow simple rules.

“Kea are incredibly charismatic and naturally inquisitive parrots which is why people love seeing them on their journeys so much. However, deliberately enticing them closer by offering them food or other lures is having devastating consequences.

“Not only is human food bad for them but feeding disrupts their natural foraging and draws them towards the road where they are at risk of being run over. Sadly, that is what occurred here.”

The kea killed include a juvenile male at Monkey Creek on April 3, an adult male at the Homer Tunnel on April 17 which was witnessed by a DoC staff member, a third juvenile at Monkey Creek on April 29, and two juveniles hit together on June 14 at the same spot.

Autopsy results confirmed blunt force trauma as the cause of death, and all birds were in otherwise good health and condition.

McLean said it’s difficult to stop kea from interacting with vehicles on their own terms due to their inquisitive nature, but motorists can reduce the risk of hitting them.

“Slow down around kea. Take care as you pull away from stopping areas; they don’t move out of the way as fast as you would think, and never drive away if a kea is on your vehicle.

“Remind others that feeding kea is harmful both for their health and because it encourages more scavenging behaviour and leads to more kea on the road and in harm’s way.”

DoC and the Kea Conservation Trust encouraged the public to be kea advocates and report inappropriate interactions and sightings of people feeding kea.

“We do what we can to prevent feedings, including having signage at known hot spots that has clear images so it can reach non-English speaking visitors, but it still doesn’t seem to be getting through. If you see something report it to DoC.”

Another way people can help is by logging sightings of kea on the sightings database: https://keadatabase.nz/