Keas also feed on fruit and leaves, and scavenge on trash heaps. Keas eat flesh and bone marrow from carcasses. The parrot has gained a reputation for attacking sheep, although they usually only prey on wounded or diseased sheep. Their main reproductive period lasts from July to January. They nest in burrows under rocks or among tree roots.
Keas have a clutch of two to four eggs, and incubate the eggs for three to four weeks.
The altricial hatchlings fledge after 13 weeks. These parrots are highly social, and they live in family groups until they reach sexual maturity. Males are sexually mature after four or five years, while females can become sexually mature as early as three years of age. Female keas remain in their natal area, while young males have been observed dispersing. The mating system is polygynous.