PLATE XXIII. 
NESTOR HYPOPOLIUS. (Gould.) 
KA-KA or BBOWN PARROT . Genus: Nestor. 
THE Ka-ka or Brown Parrot of New Zealand is at once the commonest, noisiest, sprightliest, and most sociable 
of the genus. Semi-nocturnal in his habits, he usually remains quiet and concealed during the heat of the 
day, but before sunrise and after sunset he fills the air with his noisy screams. Dr. Thomson writes of 
him : — " The Ka-ka is a large brown parrot, well known to bush travellers. Before sunrise, and at sunset, these 
parrots assemble on trees yielding them berries, and fly with discordant screaming over the forest. At the sound 
of the Ka-ka's harsh cry native travellers commence their journey, and the saying of ' The Ka-ka has cried ' is 
synonymous with ' It is time to get up,' or ' The cock has crowed.' The Ka-ka lays five white eggs in the holes 
of trees. It cannot be taught to imitate the human voice, or to act as a decoy bird to ensnare its kindred." 
Unless frightened from their lair the Ka-kas remain quiet till the cool of the evening twilight, when 
they come forth clamorously, and wing their way far above the tree-tops to some favourite feeding place, or they 
can be seen climbing the rough vine-clad boles of trees, using their powerful mandibles as a means of propulsion, 
turning and twisting themselves into every variety of attitude as they go ; or one finds them on the ground 
tearing up the roots of the close parasitic vegetation in search of insects or their larvae. Always active, these 
birds seem to become additionally so during gloomy weather ; and even in bright sunshine a flock of them may 
occasionally be seen circling above the tree-tops, emitting shrill screams, and apparently absorbed in merry- 
making. In the twilight they can be heard calling to their comrades in a harsh rasping note, not unlike the 
syllable " t'chut, t'chut," or uttering a musical whistle, with a short refrain. 
As a fraternity they exhibit great affection for one another. Should a stray one be wounded its cries 
will rouse the whole company of Ka-kas within hearing, and they instantly come to the rescue. Dr. Julius Von 
Haast, in writing of New Zealand birds, says " The noisy Ka-ka (Nestor Meridionalis or Hypopolius) plays a 
conspicuous role in the forest. It is a gregarious bird, perching generally on the highest trees ; but as soon 
as the assembled flock hear a noise unknown to them they approach, amusing the traveller by their various 
quarrelsome notes and shrieks. If, in shooting after them, one only is wounded, so that it may be secured, it is 
an easy matter to shoot one after the other, as they always come back when they hear the cry of their wounded 
companion." 
Of arboral habits, this Parrot is, probably from the quality of its food, a most useful agent in the 
economy of Nature ; that food being fixed in its kind by the seasons. During spring and summer, when there 
is an abundance of vegetable growth, he may be seen alternately feasting on various juicy berries — whereby 
lie propagates fresh plants — or sucking honey from the crimson-flowered rata (Metrosideros robusta) — by which 
means he fertilises blossoms. When the frosts and snows of winter close these prolific store-houses he falls back 
upon insects and their larvse, thus keeping down the increase of insectivora to its proportioned limit. 
This species, as a whole, is remarkable for the depth and brilliancy of its colouring ; at the same time, 
a great diversity exists in individual members, both in plumage and size. Some have much bluish-grey on the 
back of the head, neck, and wings ; others show the hoary head of real Nestors ; others again have well-defined 
collars of fringed feathers at the back of the neck. 
In consequence of this diversity, Dr. Buller has considered many closely-allied Nestors as merely 
aberrant types of Nestor Hypopolius, and classes them as mere varieties of the common Ka-ka. Of them, 
Nestor Superba, Nestor Hsslingii, and Nestor Montanus are the most remarkable. The latter is very large, 
measuring some twenty inches long. To all those varieties are attached Albino specimens, some of which are 
nearly pure, when the plumage is a general ashy white, tinged with yellow, and having a good deal of scarlet 
about the lower part of the breast, abdomen, and tail ; and the back is scarlet, outlined with ashen grey. 
