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Camera Trap Films Possums and Stoats Killing Rare Kea Chicks

Posted by: Frank Indiviglio in Bird Behavior, Bird Conservation, Bird Research or Recent News, Field Notes and Observations on Birds, Wild Birds December 17, 2010 Comments Off on Camera Trap Films Possums and Stoats Killing Rare Kea Chicks 6063 Views

KeaNew Zealand’s endemic parrot, the Kea (Nestor notabilis), was nearly driven to extinction by ranchers who believed the bird was a threat to their sheep (please see below).  Hunting is now outlawed, but the Kea’s troubles are not over – a recent study has documented that stoats, possums and rats, all introduced from elsewhere, are eating chicks and attacking adults.

A Most Unusual Parrot

The Kea’s Latin species name, “notabilis”, could not be more fitting, for surely it is a most “notable” bird.  What other parrot causes trouble by attacking parked cars – stripping rubber from around windows – on a regular basis (please see photo)?  Consider its other unique characteristics, most of which are completely unknown among “normal” parrots:

Keas dwell in alpine regions and often walk about in the snow

They are largely nocturnal, but also forage by day

Ground nesting, below rocks or in hollow logs, is typical

Keas have attacked sheep and consume carrion

They forage in the fur of living sheep for fly larvae

Keas soar, hawk-like, on mountain air currents

Males may mate with up to 4 females each season

A Plague of Introduced Predators

Kea on CarYet despite highly-developed intelligence and an aggressive streak, Keas are, like many other birds that evolved on mammal-free islands, largely at the mercy of non-native predators.  Brush-tailed possums (please see photo), introduced to New Zealand to stimulate the fur trade, and stoats (ferret relatives), which were brought to the island to help control introduced rabbits, are especially troublesome.

Rats, also non-native, present another problem – in addition to eating eggs and chicks, rats soar in numbers when certain trees bear fruit.  Stoats are then attracted to such areas, where they consume Kea chicks along with rats.

Videos Document Attacks on Nests

Brushtail PossumWhile non-native mammals were assumed to be a problem for Keas, it was not until the New Zealand Department of Conservation installed cameras near Kea nests that the scope of the danger was documented.  Although the 2010 breeding season has months to go, 3 of 11 nests monitored have been attacked.

The video linked below shows possums and stoats preying upon Kea chicks (Please note: the images may be disturbing to some folks).  The possum attack was particularly surprising, as they were believed to take only eggs or dead chicks, and not to be aggressive predators (I’ve cared for Brush-tailed Possums in zoos, and can attest that their teeth can make short work of most any bird!).

Based on the videos and other research, conservation officials are revising their predator control plans and monitoring fruit tree production so as to be able to predict spikes in the rat population.

Further Reading

Video of possums and stoats attacking Keas.

Kea Facts and Figures.

 

 
Kea image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Markus Koljonen
Kea on car referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Joshin Yamada
Brushtail Possum image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Noodle Snacks

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I believe that I was born with an intense interest in animals, as neither I nor any of my family can recall a time when I was not fascinated by creatures large and small. One might imagine this to be an unfortunate set of circumstances for a person born and raised in the Bronx, but, in actuality, quite the opposite was true. Most importantly, my family encouraged both my interest and the extensive menagerie that sprung from it. My mother and grandmother somehow found ways to cope with the skunks, flying squirrels, octopus, caimans and countless other odd creatures that routinely arrived un-announced at our front door. Assisting in hand-feeding hatchling praying mantises and in eradicating hoards of mosquitoes (I once thought I had discovered “fresh-water brine shrimp” and stocked my tanks with thousands of mosquito larvae!) became second nature to them. My mother went on to become a serious naturalist, and has helped thousands learn about wildlife in her 16 years as a volunteer at the Bronx Zoo. My grandfather actively conspired in my zoo-buildings efforts, regularly appearing with chipmunks, boa constrictors, turtles rescued from the Fulton Fish Market and, especially, unusual marine creatures. It was his passion for seahorses that led me to write a book about them years later. Thank you very much, for a complete biography of my experience click here.
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