Doc senior ranger biodiversity Lydia McLean was urging people to stop feeding kea following a spate of preventable road deaths.
"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 included a juvenile male at Monkey Creek on April 3; an adult male at the Homer Tunnel on April 17; a third juvenile at Monkey Creek on April 29; and two juveniles hit together on June 14 at Monkey Creek.
Necropsy confirmed blunt-force trauma as the cause of death and all birds were in otherwise good health and condition, she said.
Ms McLean said while it was difficult to stop kea from interacting with vehicles, there were a few steps motorists could take to 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," she said.
Doc and the Kea Conservation Trust were encouraging the public to report inappropriate interactions and sightings of people feeding the birds.
"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."
