NESTOR PARROTS 



1859 



is said that there may sometimes be as many as six ; and the young are able to fly 

 early in January. Being an excellent mimic, the kaka is highly esteemed by the 

 Maories as a pet, and, like most parrots, will live many years in captivity. 



The habitat of the kea is very different from that of its cousin. In place of 

 being confined to wooded districts, this bird frequents the almost inaccessible 

 rocks of the mountains of the South island at elevations where only dwarf 

 vegetation is to be found. Here the keas may be seen among the crevices of the 

 rocks when the mountains are shrouded in mist or sleet, or covered with a mantle 

 of snow; while at other 

 times they may be observed 

 soaring with motionless 

 wings from peak to peak. 

 During the depth of winter 

 these birds are, however, 

 driven to seek their food at 

 lower elevations. The usual 

 cry of the kea has been com- 

 pared to the mewing of a 

 cat, but a scream not unlike 

 that of the kaka is also 

 uttered at times. The most 

 remarkable feature in con- 

 nection with the habits of 

 the kea is its carnivorous 

 propensities, which appear 

 to have been developed since 

 the introduction of sheep 

 into the colony, and have 

 led to a great increase in the 

 number of these birds. Sir 

 W. Buller writes that those 

 keas which ' ' frequent the 

 sheep stations appear to live 

 almost exclusively on flesh. 

 They claim the sheep's 

 heads that are thrown out 

 from the slaughter shed, and 

 pick them perfectly clean, 

 leaving nothing but the 

 bones. The plan usually 

 adopted on the stations for PHILLIP ISLAND PARROT. 



alluring this bird, is to ex- 

 pose a fresh sheep skin on the roof of a hut; and while engaged in tearing up the 

 bait, it is easily approached and snared. Of recent years the keas have gone even 

 farther than this, and now actually kill sheep for themselves, alighting upon 



