Art. XXX.—The Kea (Nestor notabilis), a Sheep-eating Parrot.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 27, 1894, Page 273

Art. XXX.—The Kea (Nestor notabilis), a Sheep-eating Parrot. By Taylor White. [Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 8th October, 1894.] I Have been prompted to write this paper on receipt of a letter from Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.R.S., who still holds to the old-time stories given of this bird long ago, and follows the lead of those who had but a second-hand knowledge of this bird, and so falls into errors, such as its leaving the berries of the forest-trees and taking to picking the kidney-fat out of live sheep running on the mountain-side, and being gradually trained thereto by commencing to sample the carcases of sheep hanging on the gallows or slaughter-place of the sheep-farmer. I am merely quoting from memory, and so am liable to vary the exact words. But I remember being astonished on reading of the kea living in the forest, for I never even during the severest winters saw it perched on a tree, and, further, the small patches of trees in the alpine valleys are all of one kind, a species of Fagus, which were called by the settlers black-birch. The fruit or “beach mast” of these trees is very minute and rare, and of little, if any, service to the birds of other species. I have during hard winters tamed the kaka (Nestor meridionalis), which in a starved condition might settle on the house, when I would approach with a piece of raw meat on the point of a long stick, like a fishing-rod, but never a kea; and the only birds I remember picking at the carcases of sheep on the gallows were flocks of the newly-arrived bird, the small

white-eye, Zosterops, which came to New Zealand about the year 1860 as well as I can fix the date. The berries on the ranges or mountain-side were few and of little food-value, the chief in point of size being the snow-berry, but it was seldom seen. My opinion is that the kea lived mainly on the lichen growing on the rocks and on grubs when obtainable. The lichen would, in places where the rocks were steep, be free from a covering of snow when all else was snowed up to a depth of 3ft. or more. The kea always lived high up the mountains a long distance above the forest-line, for you must understand that on a mountain-side each variety of tree has its limit of elevation. The mixed bush grows on the plain; and a short distance above, where these trees, as rimu, white-pine, black-pine, &c., are at their highest, and cease to grow, come the different kinds of Fayus, of which the so-called black-birch attains the highest elevation. On glancing along the alpine hills, such as, for instance, those on either shore of Lake Wakatipu, you will see with surprise that the dark-green of the trees reaches so far up the mountain-side, and is then cut off level and clean as far as the eyesight can extend into the far distance. Above this level line of dark forest comes the brown straw-colour of the mountain-grass, which in turn gives way to the slate-grey or yellow-grey of the rocky summits and their débris of broken stones. On this same forest limit grew also the tall bracken fern, so the dark-green of the forest would be at places for a considerable extent varied by the brighter green of the fern. But both forest and fern attained the same elevations, and so the long line of green was only changed in shade of colour, and did not encroach upon the area of the yellow grasses.* This description is of scenery some thirty years ago. The kea lived above this forest limit, and was mostly seen moving about the rocks and boulders on the ridge of the mountain-tops. The name “kea” would seem to be an imitation of a frequent call of this bird. But it also makes a number of other sounds. About the first I can remember of this bird was at a time when I resided near the head-waters of the Oreti or New River. One hot day—it probably was in the summer-time—when walking across the valley between the mountains, my attention was attracted by a remarkable sound or series of cries. These I mistook for the noise of several small puppies of the wild dog, crying from hunger in the nest. I at once set to work to climb up the steep mountain-side to capture these creatures; but the result was not as was expected, but a dull-green-coloured bird was found seated on a projecting piece of rock. These birds are coloured green, shaded with black, and

have bright orange-red feathers of small size on the underside of their wings. They are about the size of a kaka, rather narrower across the back, and have the hooked point of the upper mandible somewhat longer. Their feet are of the true parrot form, or, as a sailor would say, have the toes placed “fore and aft.” On first becoming acquainted with man they showed little sign of fear. In fact, I have, when on the mountain-top, remained standing perfectly still, with keas hopping round me, but would have ultimately to drive them away, for one would come to inspect the brass eyelets in my boots, and try to pick them out, when, seeing that the boot-laces would quickly be cut through, I would require to stop this performance. One day a shepherd brought home a live kea which he caught by placing his open hand on the ground when he was lying down; this bird calmly stepped on to his hand, and was captured. On bringing the bird home he placed it in a room in a stone building to await my coming. The result was that the small wooden bars of the window were cut away by its powerful beak down level with the panes of glass. A ring and small chain were afterwards fastened to its leg and it was tethered on the lawn, having a small box placed near as a shelter. Here it lived several years, but one day was missing, taking the chain with it. The shelter-box was soon a sight to see, for the bird drilled large round holes through it in several places, and his great delight appeared to be in carpentry work. He was fed on scraps of bread and meat, and would amuse himself by throwing his drinking-vessel away, regardless of after-consequences. Under the name of Sancho he was regarded as a member of our family party, but never gave any sign of newly-acquired habits under domestication, or showed signs of affection to those who cared for him. About the year 1861 we first took sheep into this country, previously having stocked with cattle. The sheep increased and multiplied, and did remarkably well, notwithstanding the heavy snowfalls on the higher lands. After a number of years, when sheep were mustered in from the back ranges, it was noticed that several would die in the yards during the night, for they would require to be kept in for drafting on the following day. These dead sheep would be mostly sheep which had missed a shearing, and were double-fleeced, having very long wool. On taking the skin from these sheep a small hole, not previously seen, would be found over the shoulder-blades, or in the small of the back, over the kidneys. We were quite incapable of understanding the cause of these wounds, but considered that these sheep would not have died from the wound if it had not been for the heating they received from the drive of the muster. One day my brother

John came home and said that he now knew what caused the holes in the back of the sheep: it was done by the kea. This surprised me greatly, but I soon afterwards had evidence of the fact myself, for when some of these birds had once found out that the blood of the sheep was good for food others were soon initiated into the performance. It was seen that the sheep (merinoes) with the longest wool were those which chiefly suffered, from which I concluded that the length of wool gave the bird better facilities for holding on with his feet during the time occupied in drilling a hole into the unfortunate sheep, which would at first run madly about with the bird fixed to its back. Those sheep which were penned in by a recent fall of snow would be an easy prey. A person living in this district brought some fifteen hundred crossbred cheviot and merino, and wintered them on these hills, but the extra length of wool on these sheep caused them to be specially attacked by the kea, and on mustering in the spring very few of this flock were found alive. Mr. W. M. Hodgkins, of Dunedin, obtained for me two brace of old-fashioned horse-pistols, which we would take with us when shepherding, loading with shot, and so peppering the keas; for to carry a gun was a heavy load when climbing about. The birds soon found out that we were enemies, and, in place of a friendly interview, were mostly seen flying about, screaming, far away on the opposite range. It became quite a rare thing to get within shooting-distance of these treacherous birds, and all our friendly interest in them was turned to murderous thoughts. I do not think they went specially for the kidney-fat of the sheep, or had any particular choice, but that that point was chiefly selected owing to the bird having a better hold when in that position. They would nest in the crevices of the rocks, but I never was able to take either eggs or young birds, the fissures being too deep and narrow to admit of approach. Mr. Wallace asks me, did the kea mistake the live sheep for the vegetable sheep—a peculiar growth of lichen? I would say not, for I have never to my knowledge seen a vegetable sheep, or mistaken such for a living one, as the story goes. Therefore my particular keas were not likely to see this vegetable substance either; and I never knew the bird to be seen feeding on a dead sheep. The sheep always died after the repast, and were then left to the wekas (Ocydromus australis) and buzzard hawks, who would finish the work of destruction. About the time at which we found out that the kea molested the sheep, we read in the papers that the shepherds on the Wanaka Station, some thirty or forty miles in a northerly direction from our position, had also discovered the same fact, and this made the authorities of the Dunedin

Museum very desirous to obtain a specimen of this bird. My brother John saved the skin of one and presented it to the Museum, and this was the first specimen down there. I can suggest no reason for the kea acquiring this new habit other than that the sheep, in winter-time, which were snowed in on the shady side of the range, would have a coating of snow or frost, and sometimes had long icicles hanging to their wool, so much so that the discoloured snowtracks of the sheep would be more readily seen by the shepherd than the sheep themselves, and from this disguisement of the sheep they might be more readily inquired into by the kea; who might mistake the frozen wool for a snow-covered piece of rock; but on the other hand the bird did not attempt to pluck the wool from the whole length of the sheep's back, as if in search of buried insects, but confined its operations to the one small area, either behind the shoulders or over the kidneys. Nor did the bird specially desire kidney-fat, which it seldom reached. It was the position and hold of the bird which determined the point of attack, for probably if the bird seated itself on the head or rump of the animal it would have been successfully driven away. A sheep would have great difficulty to turn its head or neck sufficiently backward to dislodge anything seated on its back immediately behind the shoulders. I would say that blood rather than flesh was what the bird desired, for, as said previously, no carcase was ever eaten, though the birds might be flying round in scores. The dead bodies, if touched at all, were eaten by the weka, the hawk, and the rat. I have even known the rat to nibble the tender hoofs from the living, new-born lamb; after a time, if the lamb survived, the hoof would grow down as would a person's finger-nail, and so the damage would be rectified. My knowledge of the kea has no reference to its habits at the present time, for I have for twenty years lived in a district where they are not to be found. As my excuse for writing this I append a copy of that portion of Mr. Wallace's letter which induced me to think it desirable that the habits of the kea should be remarked upon:— Dear Sir. Parkstone, Dorset, 3rd January, 1894. I received from a friend of yours a number of the “Journal of Science,” containing among other things some remarks on the habits of the kea. As the writer says that I have given “what is generally believed to be a correct description of the bird's habits, & c.,” it will be time enough to change it when other New Zealand authorities accept Mr. Huddleston's account. I see in another article it is stated that the habit of tearing open the vegetable sheep for insects led to the kea's tearing open first dead sheep and then living ones. … Yours very faithfully, Alfred R. Wallace. Taylor White, Esq.

To this I reply that Mr. Huddleston's article on the kea is the best I have seen on the subject, and, so far as my own experience goes, is reliable, and for this reason I specially obtained that number of the “Journal of Science” which contained Mr. Huddleston's paper, and forwarded it to Mr. Wallace: hence his letter to me thereon. It must be remembered that this bird, having for its habitat the tops of alpine ranges, is seen by few other than shepherds and owners of sheep who are hardy enough to head the sheep-mustering parties, and whose business it is to search the rocky mountain-tops in summer for sheep requiring to be shorn or docked, and in winter, about the end of June, to collect, extricate, and drive downward sheep from the then heavily snow-clad summits. An account of this latter dangerous work I gave in a back volume of Transactions. Such are the men who can give the life-history of the kea, and of these I claim to have been one. But such doings are now a matter of retrospection. Since writing the above I have been able to place my hand on Mr. F. F. C. Huddleston's paper. The passage in “Darwinism” to which he takes exception is the following: “It [the kea] belongs to the family of brush-tongued parrots, and naturally feeds on the honey of flowers and the insects which frequent them, together with such fruits or berries as are found in the region. Till quite recently this composed its whole diet, but since the country it inhabits has been occupied by Europeans it has developed a taste for a carnivorous diet, with alarming results. It began by picking the sheepskins hung out to dry, or the meate in the process of being cured. About 1868 it was first observed to attack living sheep, which had frequently been found with raw and bleeding wounds on their backs. Since then it is stated that the bird actually burrows into the living sheep, eating its way down to the kidneys, which form its special delicacy.” Mr. Huddleston says,— “The reason, I believe, that the bird has been charged with eating the kidney of the sheep it attacks is that the loin or rump of the sheep is the broadest part whereon it can get an easy grip. As the sheep feels its assailant it runs away, with the bird holding on and naturally having its beak over the kidneys, where it sets to work. … I have found large numbers of sheep with only a very small hole in the back, about the size of a crown, which being examined showed a cavity beneath as large as a man's hand, in which the backbone and ribs were perfectly bare. Other I found with holes in the side through which the intestines had been drawn, the sheep being still alive, and in some instances the wound had healed and apparently formed

a false anus.” (An instance of a wound healing as described I have witnessed myself—an opening in the flank.—T. W.) “Besides grubs, as the weta (Deinacrida) and the Cicada, they feed on the berries of various alpine shrubs and trees [? T. W.], such as the snowberry (Gaultheria), Coprosma, Panax, and the little black seed in a white skin of the Phyllo-cladus alpinus; the Pittosporum, with its hard seed in a glutinous mass like birdlime; and the red berry of the Podocarpus; also, in winter, on the roots of the various herbaceous alpine plants—Aciphylla squarrosa and colensoi, Ranunculus lyallii, Celmisias, & c. “About Mount Cook they breed very early in the year, as I have found their nests in August, when snow was on the ground. The first time that I saw nests at that time of the year was when I was shooting, at an altitude of 3,000ft. I shot a bird that was sitting on a rock. After it fell another appeared on the rock, and from the same place I shot twenty-two. I went to pick up the dead birds, and then found that they had, in the first place, all come out of a hole under the rock. On looking into the hole I saw something moving, which eventually turned out to be young birds. They were out of reach, but after some trouble I managed to noose one, and found that it was in its nesting plumage of slate-coloured down, with very yellow beak and legs. There were others in different stages of growth, also eggs. I have since found other nests, and have noticed that after a time the old birds leave the half-grown ones to hatch out the late eggs, all the community doing their share of feeding the young. The same habit I have noticed in the native parrakeet. The kea's egg is white, and about the size of a pigeon's, but rounder, and with a rough shell. The young birds do not come out of the nest until fully fledged and able to fly. The young birds are so tame that if a person comes across a flock of them and keeps perfectly still they will walk up to him and pull his clothes. “I am unable to give a correct estimate of the number killed in the Mount Cook and Lake Wakatipu districts. The slaughter of them at times has been very great. At Lake Wanaka, in four years, I myself killed over three thousand, and I know of several up-country stations where one to two hundred were killed yearly. To reduce their numbers the County Councils used to give from 1s. to 2s. per beak, and the Government then gave the Councils a subsidy of pound for pound. This has now been discontinued, and so gives a chance of increase.“* “New Zealand Journal of Science,” September, 1891.

As quoted above, Mr. Huddeston speaks of the kea eating the berries of various alpine shrubs and trees, among others Panax and Pittosporum; these are only the taller undergrowth of the forest, or at times a few may be found in a warm gully alongside a small creek. They are all tall shrubs, and I have never seen them growing at the elevation frequented by the kea, but I have no knowledge of the vegetation about Mount Cook. Podocarpus is the generic name of several forest-trees, as the black-pine and totara, and these grow in what are termed the mixed bushes of the lowlands. I once found on a mountain-side, growing among and covering a large area of large, angular fragments of broken rocks, a peculiar prostrate shrub, and, after some search, found the seed or berry of this carpet-like growth. My sister made a coloured sketch of the small branch which I brought home. This I sent to Dr. Black, of Dunedin. He replied that he did not recognize it, and had handed the drawing to the care of the local Museum. At that time I had never seen the totara-tree of the forest (Podocarpus totara), but, on seeing a twig and fruit of this tree, I at once saw that my prostrate shrub was a variety of the totara. I hardly think Mr. Huddleston alludes to this variety of Podocarpus, and should be surprised to hear that the kea really has access to the fruit of any of the forest Podocarpi. In this same journal Mr. F. R. Chapman, in describing a botanical expedition which he made to a valley of the Upper Waimakariri, Canterbury, says, “A very interesting Raoulia, or vegetable sheep, was very plentiful on steep, rocky places, but I believe a finer species is found on Mount Torlesse. … It is said that the keas tear them up with their powerful beaks, and that these birds learnt to eat mutton through mistaking dead sheep for masses of Raoulia.” Mr. Huddleston has, to my thinking, made a hasty guess as to keas' bill-of-fare, including Coprosma, Panax, Pittosporum, and Podocarpus. Also, I would ask, how could the bird feed in winter on the roots of Aciphylla, Ranunculus, or Celmisia, which would then be covered with a deep winding-sheet of snow 3ft. to 10ft. in thickness?