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Porter—The Kea



THE KEA


By Sidney Porter


Seeing that I have already given some notes on the wild life of

the Kea perhaps a few additional ones on its behaviour in captivity

may be of some interest.


Of all the birds I have ever kept, and at one time or another I have

had a good many species, Keas are my favourites. I am sure that

were these birds widely kept they would be prime favourites, unfortun¬

ately, they are not common and are consequently by reason of their

remote habitat rather expensive and difficult to obtain.


The history of my birds had, perhaps better start from the time

they were acquired in New Zealand. They were very kindly procured

for me by my friend, Mr. Kowland Hutchinson. It was the third

attempt on his part to obtain some of these interesting birds for me.

The first lot were young birds and these I understand died in New

Zealand before shipment. Later on a pair were secured and these were

eventually shipped to London, but unfortunately they never reached

these shores, mainly, I think through the butcher believing the popular

fallacy that they were carnivorous and supplying them with mutton

broth ; so upon going to meet my treasures at the London Docks

all I received was an empty crate, a great disappointment.


After being in New Zealand for some time, four birds, three cocks

and a hen, were procured and were very kindly kept for me by another

friend in Auckland, where they were fed mainly on the Maori sweet

potatoes.


The preparation for the transport of these birds was no easy matter,

but it was done by Mr. Hutchinson, who acted as a kind of fairy

“ godmother ” to me whilst in New Zealand. A very large crate had

to be prepared, consisting of inch thick timber and the whole lined with

zinc sheeting. And owing to the Kea being one of the most difficult

birds to confine in a small space because of its ability to pick and unfasten

any kind of hook, lock or catch, a double front had to be made to the

cage. Buller, the New Zealand naturalist, complained that he was

never able to procure Keas because they managed to get out of anything



