Is a k counter automata a special kind of PDA?
A two-counter automaton has two counters, so two push-downs, each with a single stack symbol (agaun ignoring bottom). Such an automaton is not equavalent to push-down automata.

Any PDA can be shown to be equivalent with a PDA with two different stack symbols, so in itself characterize the context-free languages.

Two-counter automata are much more powerful, they can simulate Turing machines, and hance form the recursively enumarable languages.  The special bottom symbol is essential here. In that way the machine is able to do a zero test (i.e., check the contents of the counter is zero). The simulation of TM's by counter automata is explained in the old textbook by Hopcroft and Ullman (Intro to Automata Theory, Languages, ...)  in two steps. First using four counters and coding the contents of (half of) a working tape of a TM by a single number. The result is attributed to Minsky (1961).