Brainiac Parrots Threatened by Widespread Lead Poisoning

Kea's enjoy screwing around. Image by Rosino.New Zealand’s kea* are among the most devastatingly intelligent birds on the planet. For instance, animal cognition researchers say kea are as smart as crows at solving mechanical puzzles. So it comes as a shock to learn that much of what we know about the kea’s unusual behavior in the wild comes from studies of birds stultified by lead poisoning.

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Cheeky bird inspires book

SPECIAL CHARACTER: Hamilton’s favourite kea is the star of new children’s book. Photo by PETER DRURY/Waikato Times One of Hamilton Zoo's favourite feathered friends is now the star of his very own book, written by zoo keeper Kylie Martin.

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Kea decline threatens alpine plants

VITAL FUNCTION: University of Canterbury PhD student Laura Young is studying kea behaviour and how the bird helps maintain native plant life. A decline in kea numbers is threatening alpine plants that rely on the bird for seed dispersal, a researcher says.

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Action crucial to save kea from extinction

With no action Kea will soon be extinct in Nelson Lakes National Park. Image by Jared KellyKnown as a cheeky character and scourge of the skifield, the kea certainly has its own brand of charisma but there are now fewer than 5000 of the endangered mountain parrots left in the wild.

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Spray-on repellent could outwit incorrigible kea

OPTIMIST: An Otira Gorge kea tries a tyre out for size.Kea are renowned for their curiosity but can clash with humans, as anyone who has had rubber stripped from their cars at southern skifields can attest.

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