EXPERIENCE WITH KEAS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 8

EXPERIENCE WITH KEAS

“The kea is one of the most colourful, interesting and amusing birds in the high country and its habit of attacking sheep is a tragedy both for the sheep and the kea,” says Mr J. C. Aspinall, of Mount Aspiring station, Wanaka, writing in the latest issue of the Tussock Grasslands and Mountain Lands Institute’s “Review”.

“This destructive habit is mainly caused by hunger, though keas which have become accustomed to attacking sheep may do so at any time of the year. The worst attacks on sheep occur from July to October. During this period, many native birds lose condition because they suffer from a shortage of alpine berries such as gaultheria and coprosmas. Deer may contribute towards this food shortage by eating out berry-producing shrubs. “I have examined the crop contents of many keas shot on sheep country. During April and May the birds were full of native berries and their bodies well covered in fat In June and July, the crops were often empty, apart from perhaps a few berries or grubs, and the bodies losing condition. For the next few months the bodies have had little or no fat on them, the flesh has been lean and dark and the crops have been either empty or full of wool and meat or the odorous remains of old sheep, deer or cattle carcases. “I think the old story of keas preferring kidney fat is just a fallacy, because I have often fed them fatty meat and they certainly prefer the meat The back of a sheep is the obvious place to land on and, like many other carnivorous animals and birds, they eat their way into the stomach of their victim. “Keas usually attack sheep at night or after a heavy fall of snow, so it is most difficult to observe them attacking live

sheep, let alone to photograph them.

“Sheep can become snowed in and, apart from avalanche dangers, survive for several weeks in deep snow. But there is nothing they can do if keas find them. Often all I would see when the snow thawed would be the bones and a 10 to 20 yard circle of wool. “For the past 25 years I have had to carry out a vigorous campaign against keas on my run country. In the winter of 1942, with up to 15 inches of snow on the flats, 70 sheep were killed by keas on one face alone. Two hundred and fifty keas were shot off these carcases. In the same area a few years later, there was no trouble until late July. Then 72 keas were shot off 10 dead sheep between 7 and 11 pan. one night. Observation “Our control work has been assisted by careful observaaof keas, hawks and seaduring early morning and evening through powerful binoculars. Seagulls often indicate kea kills by congregating round them. Keas can also be seen or heard going into sheep country at night and leaving in the early morning. One winter, for example, I went to town for a fortnight On my return, I noticed keas flying out of a certain tussock basin at 9 a.m. in the morning. Investigation revealed 10 to 12 sheep eaten to the bones. There was one halfeaten sheep off which I shot 31 keas between 7 and 9 p.m.

“I have poisoned keas by using strychnine on carcases but it is often difficult to find the one they are feeding on and too many poisoned carcases are a menace to musterers* dogs. I prefer shooting. My favourite weapon is the .22 with the quietest ammunition that can be bought The .22 is good for long shots and it is effective at night with the aid of a torch, if the hunter is patient and plays on the birds’ natural curiosity. Shotguns, kea guns and pistols are too noisy. They tend to frighten and also to wound birds which then become wary and hard to stalk. “In May, 1960, I inoculated all my sheep against blood poisoning (blackleg, malignant oedema) and, judging by the following shearing tallies, this could prevent many kea losses. “From 1942 to 1958, I paid bounties on at least 1500 kea beaks and this has certainly helped to reduce winter losses among my sheep. Several hundred keas were destroyed between 1942 and 1946 and our winter sheep losses dropped from 35-40 per cent to 14 per cent Since 1942, helped by the removal of rabbits and topdressing, carrying capacity has doubled and sheep losses are now only 8 or 9 per cent “In the last few years Our losses from keas have certainly diminished and for two years I have not seen a sheep I can claim to have been molested by keas. This pleasing state of affairs will not last without regular and thorough vigilance. I certainly hope that it lasts as long as possible. Now I am getting older, I do not look forward to spending evenings on the hills struggling through snow looking for keas, especially when trousers get wet and the lower legs freeze like stovepipes.” r