Not All Unwanted

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 1

Not All Unwanted

Three keas have been hatched at the Philadelphia Zoo. According to a cutting from a newspaper sent to Mrs R. D. Iles, of Heaton Street, by an American friend, Mrs J. C. Taylor, of Philadelphia, the bird house staff at the zoo are delighted. “It is almost enough to make them forget about that cad who walked out last week with the zoo’s two prized cocks-of-the-rocks,” the report says. “The cause of all this glee in the bird house is a blessed , event—a ■ triple blessed event. Three eggs laid by a New Zealand mountain-kea have hatched. “People at the bird house view it as one of the zoo’s more momentous events. It is the result of years of patience—not to

mention a lot of effort by the two adult keas involved. “It is, in fact, the first kea birth In the history of the zoo. Keller, head keeper at the bird house, pointed out that eggs have been laid in the past but, for a variety. of reasons, they have never hatched. It is rare that kea breeding is successful anywhere in captivity. “The bird house staff tried something different this time. They provided a large nesting box fpr the mother kea, which allows for maximum privacy. Privacy is important, it seems, because the kea is easily distracted from such tedious chores as sitting on eggs.” Mrs Iles met Mrs Taylor In February this year at Mount Cook.