Isolation and characterization of 8 microsatellites and for the Kea Nestor notabilis

We describe the isolation and characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the endemic New Zealand alpine parrot Kea (Nestor notabilis). The loci were initially tested for eight individuals collected across the range and then for a larger dataset of 410 individuals. The number of alleles per loci ranged from 2 to 11. These new microsatellites are useful tools for population studies of this little studied endangered species.